Written by Faisal Abdirashid Adam
Image credit: Courtesy of the Presidential Office, ROC (Taiwan). President Lai, with the delegation led by Somaliland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdirahman Dahir Adam.
After 34 years of diplomatic isolation since declaring independence, Somaliland’s international impasse was shattered on December 26, 2025, not by a formal UN resolution, but by the resonant tone of a historic video call. During this live session, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially conveyed Israel’s recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as a sovereign state to President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (colloquially known as Irro), marking the first time a United Nations member state has granted such recognition. This telephone conversation, described as ‘historic’ by both leaders, culminated in the signing of a ‘Mutual Declaration’ that validates the ‘Taiwanese Blueprint’ for de facto statehood. By serving as a diplomatic bridgehead since 2020, Taiwan has demonstrated that a stable, democratic Somaliland is a reliable partner, giving Israel the strategic confidence to pursue full diplomatic relations. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry embraced this bold move, framing it as a ‘major step forward’ for the emerging ‘democratic triangle‘ between Taiwan, Israel, and Somaliland, which now positions itself as a powerful new alliance for trilateral cooperation in technology, agriculture, and Red Sea security.”
Since July 2020, Taiwan and Somaliland have been two democracies that the world overlooked, yet they have taken coordinated action to establish mutual representative offices. What grew from there was a genuine partnership across healthcare, education, agriculture, technology, security, and energy sectors, which led to real progress, born from shared challenges that made both stronger. Their coast guard cooperation, which safeguards the critical Red Sea and Gulf of Aden routes, demonstrates that Israel’s partnership exemplifies democratic principles that drive tangible regional progress and enduring peace. Their achievements in stabilisation, security cooperation, and economic development prove that unrecognised democracies can deliver results where failed states falter. Somaliland demonstrates to Israel a reliable model that principled governance leads to strategic value and peace, so formal recognition is the next logical step.
Taiwan and Somaliland signed a Coast Guard Agreement targeting enhanced maritime security in the strategically vital Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, key global shipping routes. This cooperation raised Somaliland from an unrecognised territory to a demonstrated security partner capable of protecting critical international commerce lanes. The agreement directly showcased the tangible results of their five-year partnership, proving that unrecognised democracies can deliver on high-stakes maritime security.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s visit to Hargeisa on January 6, 2026, came immediately after the world’s first recognition, which confirmed formal ties through embassy exchanges between Israel and Somaliland. Taiwan’s established five-year partnership of mutual representative offices and coast guard cooperation, which secured navigation in the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden, provided a proven foundation. This incident demonstrated how unrecognised democracies like Taiwan and Somaliland deliver real stability, making Israel’s strategic embrace expected rather than risky. Minister Sa’ar’s visit marked the first official Israeli diplomatic visit since recognition; Somaliland now gains dual democratic patronage.
Taiwan’s agricultural diplomacy has demonstrably shaped Somaliland’s developmental route. The 2026-2030 Agricultural Implementing Arrangement, formalised between Taiwan’s Ambassador Allen Lou and Somaliland’s Agriculture Minister Mohamoud Ige Yusuf, strategically targeted the enhancement of the seed system and climate-resilient farming, critical interventions aligned with Somaliland’s Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 on Zero Hunger. This agreement established a demonstration farm that serves as a regional hub for food-security innovation. Israel saw this track record and recognised a ready partner for scaling modernisation across the Horn of Africa.
Somaliland’s development patronage has involved five years of mutual representative offices since 2020, and capacity-building for coast guard cooperation in healthcare, agriculture, ICT, and energy, which has transformed stability into capability. Israel steps forward as “the first UN member state to recognise Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state,” making it a formal embassy commitment; Somaliland then becomes a Dual Patronage Democracy. Unrecognised states worldwide now see a viable model for breaking isolation through pragmatic partnerships. Israel’s recognition of Somaliland marks a pivotal geopolitical shift in the Horn of Africa, with far-reaching implications for regional alignment and economic transformation. By extending international legitimacy, this move could reposition Somaliland as an emerging hub for investment, infrastructure development, and strategic connectivity. Access to diplomatic recognition can act as a catalyst for economic modernisation, unlocking capital inflows, institutional partnerships, and development pathways that have long remained structurally out of reach.
From the perspective of Global Reactions and China’s Concerns, Chinese intelligence views the Israel-Taiwan-Somaliland alignment as a “coordinated challenge” that directly threatens Beijing’s One China policy and its influence in Africa. This practical cooperation among unrecognised democracies, despite diplomatic isolation, represents the scenario for authoritarian diplomacy.
During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s January 2026 visit to Ethiopia, less than two weeks after Israel’s world-first move, the visit revealed that China’s recognition of Somaliland crossed Beijing’s red line in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia reaffirms its firm commitment to the one-China principle and reiterates that there is one China in the world. Taiwan’s representative office in Somaliland immediately denied that “no country has the right to deny Taiwan’s existence“. This wasn’t a coincidence; it was the authoritarian playbook against the trilateral blueprint gaining steam.
Meanwhile, Egypt, Somalia, Djibouti, and Turkey pushed back forcefully. In a joint diplomatic objection, their foreign ministers framed Israel’s recognition as a danger that undermines Somalia’s territorial unity and risks further instability in the Horn of Africa. For neighbouring states, Somaliland’s growing international engagement is increasingly seen as a challenge to regional power balances in a strategically important area that links the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and global trade routes.
Beyond formal diplomatic protests, this backlash reflects the long-standing structural tensions of the Horn of Africa, where questions of sovereignty, borders, and regional balance remain highly sensitive. Somaliland’s neighbours primarily do not evaluate its case through the lens of democratic performance, as Wang Yi’s regular visit to Addis Ababa on January 7 underscores the “One China” policy, elections, or internal political stability. Instead, recognition is considered risky. These concerns are further exacerbated by Somaliland’s strategic position along the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, one of the world’s most vital maritime routes. Somaliland’s recognition can reasonably be framed as an acknowledgement of its sustained commitment to democratic principles and peaceful governance.
On the other hand, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, which it said could create opportunities for trilateral cooperation among three “like-minded democratic partners” that share democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. Building on five years of Taiwan-Somaliland achievements in healthcare, education, agriculture, ICT, security, and energy, including their coast guard agreement safeguarding Red Sea/Gulf of Aden navigation, MOFA sees tangible potential across all these areas. This unique positioning transforms diplomatic isolation into practical power, showing that unrecognised democracies build influence through results rather than recognition. Taiwan’s five-year track record gives Israel a low-risk entry point into Horn geopolitics.
In sum, Taiwan’s five-year partnership transformed Somaliland from a diplomatic outcast into a trusted partner. This made Israel’s historic recognition possible and opened the door to democratic cooperation. This model shows that unrecognised democracies can gain influence through their results. It positions Somaliland and Taiwan as key players in the Gulf of Aden and in the Red Sea. This perspective stands in contrast to China’s growing power in the Horn of Africa and to Taiwan’s allies in Somaliland.
Faisal Abdirashid Adam is a researcher who specialises in public policy, governance, and political issues in the Horn of Africa. He is currently supported by the Taiwan Fellowship and serves as a Visiting Scholar at NCCU and NTNU in Taiwan. He holds two Master’s degrees in International Relations and Diplomacy, and in Project Planning and Management, as well as Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Law, and is an alumnus of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) East Africa.
Taiwan Insight 