Bangladesh, Dec. 28 -- Israels decision to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent sovereign state has sent shockwaves across the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, and the wider international community. Announced on December 27 and signed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, the move makes Israel the first country to officially acknowledge the independence of the breakaway region, which has operated as a de facto state since 1991. While Somalilands leadership has celebrated the decision as historic and transformative, Somalia and key regional actors have condemned it as a direct assault on Somali sovereignty, warning of destabilizing consequences.

The recognition is far more than a symboli...