Israel recognizes that Somaliland provides an opportunity for trilateral cooperation between Taiwan, Israel and Somaliland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday, adding that Taipei would continue to seek more cooperative opportunities with the two nations, as well as deepen connections with like-minded partners.
Israel yesterday formally recognized Somaliland as an “independent and sovereign state,” as leaders of both sides signed a joint recognition pact that stated: “This declaration is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords.”
The Abraham Accords are a set of agreements brokered by the US that normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab nations, signed in 2020 during US President Donald Trump’s first term.
Photo: CNA
For Taiwan, which has established representative offices reciprocally with Somaliland, Israel’s decision is a signal for diplomatic advancement, Taiwanese observers said.
The ministry yesterday said it welcomes the news that Israel has become the first UN member to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state, establishing formal relations and expanding cooperation.
Israel and Somaliland are like-minded democratic partners of Taiwan, and Taiwan will, building on the existing friendships, continue to seek more cooperative opportunities with their governments and deepen connections with like-minded partners, the ministry said.
Since Taiwan and Somaliland established representative offices mutually in 2020, the two countries have continued to deepen their relationship based on the principles of reciprocity and mutual benefit, it added.
The partnership has yielded fruitful results, including in the healthcare, education, agriculture, information and communications technology, security, and energy and mineral development industries, it said.
Taiwan and Somaliland have also stepped up coast guard cooperation, aiming to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden through enhanced maritime security cooperation, the ministry said.
Foundation for Defense of Democracies chief executive Mark Dubowitz wrote on X that “Taiwan has enjoyed close cooperative relations with Somaliland since 2020 with strong experience in aid and development projects.”
“Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is another positive step,” he added.
Dubowitz last visited Taiwan in 2023, along with former Israeli national security adviser Jacob Nagel, and other experts on strategic and security matters from the US and Israel.
During a visit to Taiwan this year, Somaliland’s minister of foreign affairs signed a coast guard agreement with Taiwan, extending cooperation into maritime security and enhancing partnership to jointly realize the shared strategic goal of a “Somaliland non-red coastline.”
State-owned oil refiner CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油, CPC) has commenced in-depth oil exploration in Somaliland, further deepening the strategic cooperation between the two nations.
The mutually established representative offices use the official names “Taiwan” and the “Republic of Somaliland.”
Israel has also shown signs of a “low-profile warming” in its relations with Taiwan.
Since the Hamas attacks on Israel in 2023, China has maintained a vague stance in the UN or even leaned toward Palestine, but Taipei immediately condemned terrorism and provided humanitarian aid, earning goodwill from across the Israeli political spectrum.
With Israeli lawmakers making more frequent visits to Taiwan, both sides have begun exchanges in non-traditional security fields such as civil defense resilience and cybersecurity.
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