Somalia and several regional powers have strongly condemned Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland as an independent state, warning that the move threatens Somalia’s sovereignty and risks destabilising the Horn of Africa.
Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, described the announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a direct and deliberate violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity. Mogadishu insists that Somaliland remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia, despite the region’s self-declared independence in 1991.
In a coordinated diplomatic response, the foreign ministers of Somalia, Egypt, Turkey and Djibouti issued a joint statement rejecting Israel’s declaration, reaffirming their commitment to Somalia’s unity and warning against what they termed “unilateral actions” that could undermine regional stability. The ministers cautioned that recognising breakaway regions could encourage fragmentation elsewhere and set a dangerous precedent under international law and the UN Charter.
Egypt’s foreign minister held separate consultations with his counterparts in the three countries, underlining shared concerns that Israel’s move could create parallel political entities and weaken recognised state institutions in Somalia. The ministers also reiterated their opposition to any plans involving the displacement of Palestinians beyond their homeland, linking the Somaliland decision to wider geopolitical tensions involving Israel.
Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, said the two sides had agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, including the exchange of ambassadors and the opening of embassies, and announced plans to expand cooperation in agriculture, health and technology. Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, welcomed the recognition and said the region intended to join the Abraham Accords, aligning itself with Israel and several Arab states that normalised ties during Donald Trump’s first term as US president.
However, critics argue that Israel’s decision ignores longstanding African Union and UN positions that support Somalia’s territorial integrity. Somaliland’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden, coupled with its recent agreements with Ethiopia over port access and military facilities, has already heightened regional tensions involving Somalia, Egypt and Ethiopia.
Somaliland, which operates its own currency, passports and security forces, has functioned as a de facto state for more than three decades but has failed to secure broad international recognition. With a population of nearly six million, the territory has remained diplomatically isolated, relying on informal partnerships rather than formal statehood.
Somalia and its allies warn that external recognition of breakaway regions could inflame existing disputes in the Horn of Africa, a region already grappling with fragile politics, security challenges and competing geopolitical interests.
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