NEW YORK, United States — The United Nations Security Council is set to convene an urgent session on Monday following Israel’s decision to formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland, a move that has triggered diplomatic ripples across the Horn of Africa and beyond.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, confirmed the planned meeting, saying the Security Council would address the implications of the recognition amid growing international attention.
“The UN Security Council will convene on Monday for an urgent session following Israel’s recognition of the Republic of Somaliland,” Danon said. “We will not shy away from political discussions.”
Danon defended Israel’s position, insisting the country would continue to act “responsibly and with discretion” while deepening cooperation with partners it views as contributing to regional stability.
Israel last week announced that it had officially recognized Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, becoming the first country to do so since the territory declared independence from Somalia in 1991. The recognition was formalized through a joint declaration signed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Somaliland President Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdallah.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate, has operated as a de facto state for more than three decades, maintaining its own government, security forces, elections, and currency. Despite this, it has lacked international recognition, with the global community largely supporting Somalia’s territorial integrity.
The Security Council meeting is expected to expose deep divisions among UN member states, particularly African countries that have traditionally backed Somalia’s sovereignty. The African Union has long opposed unilateral recognition of Somaliland, warning that it could encourage secessionist movements elsewhere on the continent.
Somalia’s federal government has repeatedly rejected any recognition of Somaliland, arguing that such moves undermine national unity and violate international law. Mogadishu is expected to raise strong objections during the UN deliberations.
Analysts say Israel’s decision has elevated the Somaliland question to the highest levels of global diplomacy, forcing the UN system to confront an issue it has largely avoided for decades.
“The Security Council discussion will be less about Israel alone and more about the precedent this sets,” said a Nairobi-based international relations expert. “Recognition challenges the long-standing consensus on Somalia and raises questions about self-determination, regional security, and geopolitical interests in the Red Sea corridor.”
Israel has said it plans to expand cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology, and trade, citing shared security interests and regional stability. Somaliland’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden, near major global shipping lanes, has increased its geopolitical significance amid rising competition among regional and global powers.
While no binding resolution is expected from the emergency session, diplomats say the meeting will test whether Israel’s move remains an isolated case or becomes the beginning of a broader international debate over Somaliland’s status.
For Somaliland, the Security Council session represents both a diplomatic challenge and an opportunity, placing its long-running quest for recognition squarely on the global stage.
