Israel has appointed its first ambassador to Somaliland, the self-declared breakaway region of Somalia, marking a significant and contentious development in regional diplomacy.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that Michael Lotem will serve as a non-resident ambassador to Somaliland. Lotem, a seasoned diplomat, has previously held ambassadorial posts in Kenya, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN.
The appointment follows Israel’s December 2025 decision to establish mutual recognition with Somaliland—a move that has drawn strong opposition from Somalia’s federal government and criticism from several countries. Somalia has consistently rejected any international engagement that treats Somaliland as a sovereign state.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not gained formal international recognition. Despite this, it functions as a de facto independent entity with its own administrative, political, and security institutions. Somalia’s central government, however, continues to regard Somaliland as an integral part of its territory and maintains that any direct diplomatic or political agreements with the region undermine the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The move by Israel is likely to intensify diplomatic tensions in the Horn of Africa, as questions of recognition, sovereignty, and regional stability remain highly sensitive.
