Israel has formally recognised Somaliland as an "independent and sovereign state" and signed an agreement to establish diplomatic ties, as the region's leader hailed its first-ever official recognition.

Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has for decades pushed for international recognition, the key priority for president Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi since he took office last year.

Abdullahi hailed the Israeli move, saying it marked the beginning of a "strategic partnership".

"This is a historic moment as we warmly welcome" Israel's recognition and "affirm Somaliland's readiness to join the Abraham Accords", he posted on X.

Egypt's foreign ministry said its top diplomat spoke with his counterparts from Turkey, Somalia and Djibouti, who together condemned the move and emphasised "their full support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia".

"The ministers affirmed their complete rejection and condemnation of Israel's recognition of the Somaliland region, and stressed their full support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia," the statement added.

Israel has been trying to bolster relations with countries in the Middle East and Africa in recent years.

Historic agreements struck late in US President Donald Trump's first term in 2020 saw several countries including Muslim-majority United Arab Emirates and Morocco normalise relations with Israel, but wars that have stoked Arab anger, particularly in Gaza, have hampered recent efforts. (AFP)