Israel's Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen and Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdullahi agreed to expand cooperation between their countries, with a focus on water and energy technologies, during the president's visit to Israel this week.

The agreement was reached during a visit to Mekorot's "Yarkon Redemption" facility in central Israel, where the Somaliland delegation was introduced to Israeli technologies related to water desalination, wastewater treatment, and water recycling for agriculture.

Cohen said the two sides had agreed to advance cooperation, "We agreed to promote cooperation between our countries in the fields of energy and water. My policy is to use Israel’s energy sector to strengthen our international standing.”

The Somaliland delegation also met with senior officials from Israel's energy and water sectors. Participants included Energy Ministry Director-General Yossi Dayan, executives from major state-owned energy companies, as well as representatives of the Israel Water Authority and the Public Utilities Authority (Electricity).

During the visit, Mekorot Chairman Moshe Shimoni highlighted Israel's extensive use of recycled water, noting that approximately 85% of the country's water is reused for agricultural purposes. He invited Somaliland officials to continue professional exchanges with Israeli experts in the field.

The tour was led by Mekorot Acting CEO Dani Sofer and included ministers from Somaliland responsible for energy and water affairs.

The visit took place at the Yarkon Redemption project, an initiative launched in recent years to restore continuous water flow to the Yarkon River. The project uses advanced treatment and reuse technologies to channel millions of cubic meters of reclaimed water into the river each year.

According to Mekorot, the project contributes to the ecological rehabilitation of the Yarkon, supports urban irrigation, and benefits regional agriculture.

In May 2026, the project received international recognition after being selected as one of the five leading urban water reuse projects worldwide at the Global Water Awards held in Madrid.

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