Women wrapped in Somaliland's flags take part in celebrations of the 27th anniversary of self-declared independence of Somaliland in Hargeisa on May 15, 2018.
Some political questions refuse to go away, not because they are complicated, but because answering them would require a degree of honesty we often overlook. Somaliland is one such case. For more than three decades, it has governed itself, held elections, maintained security, and managed its affairs with little outside assistance. And yet, officially, it remains unseen.
Israel’s decision on December 26, 2025, to recognise the Republic of Somaliland as a sovereign and independent state -- the first country in more than three decades to extend such recognition -- has brought that contradiction back into view.
