File Photo: Hundreds protest against Ethiopia signing a memorandum of understanding for maritime access with Somaliland, which declared its unilateral independence from the country, in Mogadishu, Somalia. AFP
In a joint statement issued on 26 December, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, The Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Türkiye and Yemen, along with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), expressed their “unequivocal rejection” of Israel’s decision, describing it as an “unprecedented measure” with far-reaching consequences for regional and international stability.
The ministers said Israel’s recognition of “Somaliland” carries “serious repercussions on peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea,” and has “grave effects on international peace and security as a whole,” adding that the move reflects Israel’s “full and blatant disregard for international law.”
They condemned the decision “in the strongest terms,” stressing that it constitutes “a grave violation of the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter,” which explicitly mandate the protection of state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and warned that such actions reflect “expansionist tendencies” that undermine the international order.
The statement reaffirmed the ministers’ “full support for the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” while stressing their “unequivocal rejection of any measures that undermine the unity of Somalia, its territorial integrity or its sovereignty over its entire territory.”
The signatories further cautioned that the recognition of parts of sovereign states “constitutes a serious precedent,” warning that it “threatens international peace and security and violates the cardinal principles of international law and the United Nations Charter.”
The ministers also firmly rejected “any potential link” between Israel’s recognition of “Somaliland” and attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their land, stressing that such actions are “unequivocally rejected in any form as a matter of principle.”
Israel announced on Friday that it had formally recognized Somaliland—the self-proclaimed republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991—and agreed to establish full diplomatic relations.
Tel Aviv's decision drew swift regional and international criticism.
Somalia’s government described the move as a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty and warned it could undermine regional peace.
The African Union (AU) said Israel’s recognition risks “setting a dangerous precedent with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent.”
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on Saturday that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu had violated established diplomatic and legal norms following Israel’s recognition of the self-proclaimed independence of Somaliland.
Sheikh Mohamud emphasized that the Somali people are one and indivisible, stressing his country's commitment to its territorial integrity and sovereignty and rejecting any attempts to undermine them, according to Agence France-Presse.
Earlier, Somalia stated that the Israeli decision to recognize the breakaway region a "deliberate attack" on its sovereignty that would undermine regional peace.
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