Sunday 22 Feb 2026 {HMC} Former Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi has called on the current administration to publicly disclose the details of its agreement with Israel, urging transparency and caution over any provisions that could affect religion.
Speaking in Hargeisa this week, Bihi said the government has yet to clarify the nature of its agreement with Israel whether it is a treaty, memorandum of understanding or another form of legal agreement.
“The government has not yet disclosed, nor has it presented to the public what we agreed with Israel whether it is a treaty, an understanding or a written legal agreement and this is expected,” Bihi said. “If it is not an equal agreement or if it harms anyone’s religion, especially Islam, then it will be discussed.”
He emphasized that any deal must be balanced and protect Somaliland’s interests, warning against arrangements that disproportionately benefit one side.
Israel formally recognized Somaliland in December, becoming the first country to do so. The decision has drawn strong opposition from Somalia’s federal government and several regional actors.
During his remarks, Bihi dismissed claims made by Somali federal officials that Israel plans to relocate Palestinians to Somaliland, describing the allegations as baseless and noting that Somaliland authorities have denied such claims.
He also rejected speculation that Israel’s engagement with Somaliland is linked to potential military operations targeting Yemen or Iran, calling such reports “market news” and asserting that Somaliland’s constitution would not permit foreign military activities of that nature.
Bihi criticized Egypt and Türkiye for opposing Somaliland’s recognition, despite their own diplomatic relations with Israel. He argued that Egypt has historically pursued its own strategic interests in the Horn of Africa, particularly concerning Nile River politics, and said the deployment of Egyptian and Turkish troops to Somalia would not produce a lasting solution to regional tensions.
Bihi also appealed to the African Union to respect what he described as Somaliland’s colonial-era borders, citing the AU principle that inherited boundaries should be maintained to avoid territorial disputes.
Bihi’s comments come amid heightened diplomatic friction in the Horn of Africa following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and ongoing negotiations between Somalia’s federal government and opposition groups over electoral and constitutional issues.
Source Hiiraan online
