India, Dec. 28 -- Israel on Friday became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, a decision that has drawn sharp international backlash and renewed focus on a little-known, disputed region in the Horn of Africa.

Announcing the decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would pursue immediate cooperation with Somaliland across sectors such as agriculture, health, technology and the economy.

In a statement, he congratulated Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, praised his leadership and extended an invitation to visit Israel.

Netanyahu said the recognition was "in the spirit of the Abraham Accords", the US-brokered normalisation agreements that reshaped...