A Conversation with President Irro: Somaliland's Vision for Its Relationship with Israel

On the day Somaliland opened its first embassy anywhere in the world, in Jerusalem, SJFPG founder and CEO Aliona Hlivco met President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi, also known as Irro for breakfast. The meeting took place during the president's first state visit abroad since taking office, six months after Israel became the first UN member state to formally recognise Somaliland's independence. The conversation was extensive, covering the practical and strategic detail of the relationship between the two countries.

President Irro emphasised that, for Somaliland, the relationship with Israel goes well beyond formality or symbolism. He framed Israeli recognition not as an end point but as a first step, one he hopes will mark the beginning of a longer trajectory in which Somaliland establishes itself as a prosperous nation in the Horn of Africa. He noted that this ambition had shaped the scale of preparation behind the visit, which involved the participation of Somaliland's full cabinet, the first time the entire government had travelled abroad together in this way.

On the substance of cooperation, three areas came up repeatedly: water engineering, healthcare and trade. President Irro discussed these as the practical foundations of the relationship, distinct from its diplomatic and symbolic dimensions. Security also featured prominently in the discussion, which Irro described as a strong factor in the bilateral relationship. On the question of the Abraham Accords, President Irro deferred the matter to the United States, framing any decision on Somaliland's accession as one for Washington rather than for Somaliland or Israel to make unilaterally. He did not, however, rule out the possibility of Somaliland joining the Accords at some point in the future.