Somaliland says it will open an embassy in Jerusalem, Israel to reciprocate

TEL AVIV, May 19 (Reuters) - ‌Somaliland, a breakaway ​region ​of Somalia, will set up an embassy in Jerusalem soon, its ambassador said on Tuesday, after Israel became the first ‌country to formally recognise the self-declared republic.

• In turn, Israel ⁠is expected to set up an embassy in Somaliland's capital Hargeisa, Ambassador Mohamed Hagi ‌said in a post on ‌X.

• Israel recognised Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state in December, a move Somalia rejected and termed a "deliberate attack" on its ​sovereignty.

• Somaliland has enjoyed effective autonomy - and relative peace and stability - since 1991, when Somalia descended into civil war, but the breakaway ⁠region had until December failed to receive recognition from any other country.

• Over the years, Somalia ​has rallied international actors against any country recognising Somaliland.

• The former British protectorate hopes that recognition by Israel will ​encourage other nations to follow suit, increasing ‌its diplomatic heft and access to international markets.

• Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Tuesday that the ⁠opening of the embassy in Jerusalem would be another significant step in strengthening relations with Somaliland.Once opened, the Somaliland embassy would be the eighth embassy in ⁠Jerusalem, he said.

• Most countries maintain their embassies in Israel in Tel Aviv, although ​the United States moved its embassy to Jerusalem during President Donald Trump's first administration. Fiji, Papua New Guinea and a small number of other countries have also ‌established embassies there.

• Israel considers all of Jerusalem to be its capital, a position not widely recognised internationally. ‌The United Nations and most countries regard East Jerusalem as territory occupied by ⁠Israel.

• Palestinians seek East Jerusalem ‌as the capital of ​a future state encompassing the West Bank and Gaza.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell;Writing by George Obulutsa;Editing by Alexander Winning and ‌Gareth Jones)

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