The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has officially denounced Israel’s recognition of “Somaliland” as an independent entity.
During an extraordinary session of the organisation in Jeddah requested by Somalia, the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers passed a resolution rejecting Israel’s actions as a direct assault on Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The OIC reaffirmed its solidarity with the Federal Government of Somalia, emphasising that its internationally recognised borders must be respected.
The session followed Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s visit to Somaliland on Tuesday, during which he affirmed that Israel would soon open an embassy and appoint an ambassador to the territory.
The visit came despite broad international criticism of Tel Aviv’s decision to recognise Somaliland’s independence, making Israel the first country ever to do so.
“Nobody will determine for Israel whom we recognise and whom we maintain diplomatic relations with,” Saar said, according to a transcript shared with the Associated Press.
Israel’s recognition of the self-declared region of “Somaliland” sets a dangerous precedent that could pose genuine risks to African regional stability and open the door to border conflicts and separatist calls, a diplomat told Al-Ahram Weekly on condition of anonymity.
The recognition, alongside the recent conflict in Yemen, presents a threat to the Horn of Africa and Red Sea regions and consequently to Egypt, according to the diplomat. This explains the firm language used by Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in his address to the OIC’s extraordinary session last week.
In his speech, Abdelatty strongly rejected any “unilateral” or “illegitimate” recognition of so-called “Somaliland”, stressing that such action constitutes a “blatant violation” of international law and the charters of the UN, OIC, Arab League, and African Union.
He warned that it poses a threat to stability and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.
He hailed the clear positions taken by OIC member states, as well as the Arab League and the AU Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC), all of which rejected the recognition and reaffirmed Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Abdelatty also rejected any attempts to exploit developments in Somalia to advance forced displacement plans for the people of Gaza to Somaliland.
Several meetings were held on the sidelines of the OIC session, the most important of which was Abdelatty’s meeting with Somali Foreign Minister Abdulsalam Abdi Ali during which he reaffirmed Egypt’s full support for Somalia’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, describing them as key foundations for stability in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
Referring to Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, Abdelatty underlined Egypt’s rejection of any unilateral measures or attempts to impose parallel entities or create new political realities outside internationally recognised legal frameworks.
The same firm stance was reiterated during Abdelatty’s meetings with his Jordanian and Kuwaiti counterparts, Ayman Al-Safadi and Abdullah Al-Yahia, on the sidelines of the OIC session, as well as at a joint press conference with Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Defence Helen McEntee in Cairo on Monday.
“Just as we reject the creation of parallel entities in Sudan, or the secession of any region in Yemen, Libya, or Syria, we fully support the Somali national state and its institutions and reject any unilateral measures that lead to division,” Abdelatty said.
A few days earlier, he told the AU-PSC that Israel’s recognition represents a dangerous precedent threatening regional and global peace and security and should prompt a unified stance to support Somalia and protect its stability.
He called on the AU-PSC to adopt a strong and unified position condemning Israel’s move and urged all AU member states to categorically reject any measures stemming from it. The meeting was held virtually last week upon Egypt’s request.
Egypt’s reaction was provoked by Saar’s visit to Somaliland, which Cairo described as illegal, illegitimate, and a dangerous precedent threatening regional and international security.
“Egypt will continue to work with Arab and African partners, as well as Europe and Washington, to prevent other countries from recognising this entity, as doing so would lead to grave risks to security and stability,” Abdelatty said.
The Somali Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Saar’s visit, describing it as an unauthorised incursion into an integral part of Somalia’s sovereign territory.
“This action constitutes a serious violation of Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political unity and represents an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign UN member state,” the ministry said in a statement.
Since Israel declared its recognition of Somaliland last month, Egypt has launched intensive diplomatic efforts to secure a unified international position. These efforts have culminated in a cross-regional statement issued by 23 countries and two international organisations.
The statement underlined their unequivocal rejection of Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, condemned the move in the strongest terms, reaffirmed full support for Somalia’s sovereignty, and rejected any potential link between the recognition and attempts to forcibly expel Palestinians from their land.
The statement was issued by most Arab states, in addition to the Maldives, Nigeria, Turkey, Pakistan, and the OIC.
Egypt also called on the UN Security Council immediately after Israel’s announcement to send a clear message that Somalia’s unity and sovereignty are non-negotiable under any circumstances and that any attempts to undermine them must be firmly rejected.
On 26 December, Israel announced that it had formally recognised Somaliland, a self-declared republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991, becoming the first country to do so since Somaliland declared its independence.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 15 January, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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