The president of Somaliland told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday that he expects to sign a trade deal with Israel after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a decree recognizing the Republic of Somaliland, a de facto independent state within Somalia’s internationally recognized borders.
“At the moment, there is no trade, and there is no investment from Israel. But we are hoping 100% (for) their investment, their trade, and hopefully we will engage with the business people and the government of Israel soon,” Abdullahi said from the World Government Summit in Dubai.
“Somaliland is a very rich country in resources – minerals, oil, gas, marine, in agriculture, energy, and other sectors…. We have meat, we have fish, we have minerals, and they (Israel) need them. So trade can start from these main sectors. The sky is the limit,” he added.
Abdullahi also confirmed that he received an invitation from Netanyahu to visit Israel and would do so soon, but didn’t specify a date.
Netanyahu’s decree made Israel the first country to recognize Somaliland as an independent nation. Israel stands to benefit from the move as a foothold in Somaliland, which has a coast on the Gulf of Aden, could give the Israeli military a strategic base in future conflicts with the Houthis in Yemen.
Israel has also reportedly held talks with Somaliland about expelling Palestinians from Gaza to Somaliland to achieve its goal of ethnic cleansing. For its part, Somaliland has denied that it agreed to host an Israeli military base or absorb Palestinians from Gaza.
The controversy over Israel’s relationship with Somaliland comes as the US has dramatically increased airstrikes in southern Somalia and in Somalia’s northeastern Puntland region. The US-backed Mogadishu-based Federal Government strongly opposes Somaliland independence, and the Puntland government, which the US is supporting in a fight against an ISIS affiliate, has territorial disputes with Somaliland.
