By Steven Scheer
JERUSALEM, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Somaliland expects to reach a trade agreement soon with Israel, the first country to recognise its independence, and is willing to offer rights to valuable mineral deposits as part of a deal, its leader said in an interview with Reuters.
Israel in late December became the first country to recognise the Republic of Somaliland, a northeastern part of Somalia that has claimed independence for decades. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would seek immediate cooperation in agriculture, health, technology and the economy.
Speaking to Reuters via video link from Dubai where he was attending the World Government Summit, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi said no bilateral economic deal with Israel had yet been reached, but Somaliland expected to sign “a partnership agreement”.
“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,” he said.
“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,” he said. “The sky is the limit.”
He said in return Somaliland would seek access to Israeli technology.
Somaliland says its mineral resources include vast reserves of lithium, critical for batteries and electric vehicles. In 2024 the Saudi Mining Company Kilomass secured an exploration deal there for lithium and other critical minerals.
Abdullahi said he was grateful to Israel for being first to recognise Somaliland. While Somaliland also hopes for future military cooperation with Israel, he said establishing Israeli military bases had not been discussed.
He said he had accepted an invitation from Netanyahu and would visit Israel soon, but no date had yet been set. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar visited Somaliland a month ago.
Abdullahi said he expects all United Nations countries eventually to follow Israel’s lead, including the United Arab Emirates and the United States, though he said it was normal for recognition to take time.
He said he had a good working relationship with the U.S. and believes President Donald Trump will “someday” recognise Somaliland. Last month, he pitched investment deals at a dinner in Davos attended by Trump’s son Eric.
Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland has drawn an angry response from Somalia, and has also been criticised by China, Turkey, Egypt and the African Union.
Somaliland also cooperates with the UAE, with DP World a big investor in the Berbera port. The UAE has “not decided officially yet but they are just one of the countries we expect to recognise Somaliland,” Abdullahi said.
“We also expect that the Saudi government will make the same investment in Somaliland,” he said.
(Reporting by Steven Scheer)
