US EditionIsrael appoints first ever ambassador to Somaliland
- On Sunday, Israel's Cabinet unanimously approved Michael Lotem as the Jewish state's first-ever ambassador to Somaliland, marking a significant diplomatic milestone.
- Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland on Dec. 26, 2025, with residents celebrating the statehood announcement in Hargeisa amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.
- Lotem, a senior diplomat with three-year ambassadorial experience in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and the Seychelles, will serve as non-resident ambassador based in Jerusalem.
- Somalia and other nations, including Algeria and Turkey, condemned the appointment as a "flagrant violation" of Somalia's sovereignty, claiming such actions risk destabilizing regional progress.
- The appointment reflects Israel's strategic interest in deepening diplomatic reach across Africa and Southeast Asia; Somaliland appointed Dr. Mohamed Haji as its first ambassador to Israel in February.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Michael Lotem becomes the first Israeli ambassador to Somaliland. Israel is thus taking a step further after the recognition of the independence of the Somali region.
Because Iran extends its power over the Huthis in Yemen to the Red Sea, it is only Benjamin Netanyahu and now also Donald Trump who are targeting the region. They are looking for: coastal states – as outposts and horchposts.
Israel appoints first ambassador to Somaliland after recent diplomatic ties
Somaliland, an unrecognized state in the Horn of Africa, has been formally recognized only by Israel. The state of Israel has appointed its first ambassador to Somaliland following its December recognition of the breakaway region
The Government of Israel approved this Sunday the appointment of its first ambassador to Somaliland, territory that it recognized as an independent State in December 2025,...
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