The Take: What does Israel’s recognition of Somaliland mean for the region?

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland pulls the breakaway territory into a larger regional power struggle.

A delegate wrapped in the flag of Somaliland arrives for the unveiling of the Somaliland Mission premises, in Nairobi
A delegate wrapped in the flag of Somaliland arrives for the unveiling of the Somaliland Mission premises, in Nairobi, Kenya, May 29, 2025 [Monicah Mwangi/Reuters]

Israel has become the first country in the world to recognise the breakaway region of Somaliland since it declared independence in 1991. What does the move mean for regional tensions around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and what will aligning with Israel mean for Somaliland?

In this episode:

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Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tracie Hunte, Sarí el-Khalili, and Melanie Marich, with Fatima Shafiq, Farhan Rafid, Tamara Khandaker, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz and Kylene Kiang. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

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