The Embassy of the Republic of Somaliland will be based in Jerusalem, the African country's new Ambassador to Israel, Mohamed Hagi announced on X/Twitter on Tuesday afternoon.
"The Embassy will be opened soon," Hagi wrote.
Israel, in turn, will be opening an embassy in Hargeisa, he added.
Both countries' opening of their respective embassies reflects "growing friendship, mutual respect, and strategic cooperation between our two peoples," Hagi said.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar reacted to the announcement on X, thanking the Somaliland president for his decision to establish the embassy in Jerusalem.
"The opening of the embassy in Jerusalem will be another significant step in strengthening relations between our countries and nations. We will work together to implement this decision soon," he added.
"This will make the Somaliland Embassy the eighth embassy in Jerusalem," he noted.
Somaliland ambassador presents credentials to President Herzog in state ceremony
In a state ceremony on Monday, Hagi presented his credentials to President Isaac Herzog at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, calling the moment the beginning of an important new partnership between the two countries.
“I was pleased to welcome this morning the first-ever ambassador of Somaliland to Israel, Dr. Mohamed Hagi, who presented me with his credentials,” Herzog said.
Herzog noted that the ceremony also included a symbolic first at the President’s Residence.
“Ambassador Hagi was also excited by our orchestra, which played the national anthem of Somaliland for the first time at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem,” he said.
“This new and important partnership between our countries will lead to a future of cooperation in a variety of fields – for the benefit of both our peoples and the entire region,” Herzog added.
Tobias Siegal contributed to this report.