https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/b884ee57-0c30-4247-a971-4c4ec14bca31 Israel has become the first country in the world to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent state. In a videoconference with Somaliland's President Mohamed Abdullahi "Cirro", Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the friendship between the two had been "seminal and historic", before announcing that he would communicate to US President Donald Trump Somaliland's willingness to join the Abraham Accords. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia back in 1991, following a central government breakdown, and has maintained its own government, security institutions and electoral processes for over 30 years. While Somaliland and the United States do not have official diplomatic relations, the State Department publicly affirms support for the Federal Republic of Somalia's territorial integrity, and there is a history of engagement on policy matters of democratisation and economic development. Recently however, the strategic location of Somaliland has resulted in a growing momentum, particularly from Republican lawmakers and within the Trump White House, to reconsider ties and explore enhanced bilateral engagement. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at MEELive@middleeasteye.org Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:06:08 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://tankie.tube https://tankie.tube/lazy-static/avatars/3ba3ff73-a8b6-49c9-add8-9653ef090c7f.webp https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/b884ee57-0c30-4247-a971-4c4ec14bca31 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://tankie.tube/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.