During his visit, Herzog is scheduled to meet Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, as well as representatives of Ethiopia’s Jewish community.
Mogadishu (Somali Report) - Isaac Herzog arrived in Addis Ababa on Tuesday morning for a high-level state visit that comes at a diplomatically sensitive moment for the Horn of Africa.
Herzog was received at Bole International Airport by Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos and Israel’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Avraham Neguise in an official ceremony marking the start of his brief trip.
During his visit, Herzog is scheduled to meet Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, as well as representatives of Ethiopia’s Jewish community.
Discussions are expected to focus on economic cooperation, innovation, agriculture, and security collaboration, according to officials from both sides.
The visit follows closely on the heels of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent trip to Addis Ababa, underscoring intensifying geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa.
Ethiopia, host of the African Union and a key regional power, has increasingly become a focal point for rival external actors seeking influence across the Red Sea corridor.
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Herzog’s arrival also comes amid lingering diplomatic fallout from Israel’s December 2025 decision to recognize Somaliland — a move that triggered sharp condemnation from Somalia and several members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Mogadishu described the recognition as a violation of its sovereignty, while analysts linked the decision to Israel’s broader Red Sea security calculations.
Strategically located near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Somaliland occupies a critical position along one of the world’s most vital maritime chokepoints.
Heightened tensions in the Red Sea since the Gaza war have elevated the importance of securing shipping routes and intelligence partnerships in the region.
Israeli officials have framed Herzog’s Ethiopia trip as part of a renewed push to strengthen “historic bonds of friendship,” pointing to decades-old diplomatic and cultural ties, including the migration of Ethiopian Jews to Israel.
However, the timing suggests a broader strategic dimension. With Türkiye expanding its footprint in Somalia and China maintaining dominant economic influence across Ethiopia, Israel appears keen to consolidate partnerships with Addis Ababa as it recalibrates its Africa policy.
Herzog is expected to return to Israel later tonight according to Israel media, concluding a visit that reflects both deepening bilateral engagement and the increasingly contested geopolitics of the Horn of Africa.
About the Author
Osman Hassan is a Senior Editor at the Somali Report based in Nairobi with over 15 years of experience in journalism. He has worked with local and international media outlets in Somalia and is an award-winning journalist. His reporting focuses on politics, security, and regional affairs in the Horn of Africa.
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