The Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the African Union (AU), and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have joined numerous countries and foreign ministers in decrying Israel’s formal recognition of the Somali breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state.
Somaliland, a region in the Horn of Africa, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has pushed for international recognition for decades, with President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi making it a top priority since taking office last year.
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Israel announced on Friday that it viewed Somaliland as an “independent and sovereign state”, becoming the first country to make such a declaration.
The announcement prompted Somalia to call the decision a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty that would undermine regional peace.
In a statement on Friday, the AU continental bloc rejected Israel’s move and warned that it risked “setting a dangerous precedent with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent”.
The AU Commission chair, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, said the institution “firmly rejects any initiative or action aimed at recognising Somaliland as an independent entity, recalling that Somaliland remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia”.
‘Dangerous precedent’
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit called Israel’s action “a clear violation of international law and a flagrant infringement of the principle of the unity and sovereignty of states”.
“Any attempt to impose unilateral recognitions constitutes an unacceptable interference in Somalia’s internal affairs and sets a dangerous precedent that threatens regional and international security and stability,” he warned.
The GCC called the development “a grave violation of the principles of international law and a blatant infringement” of Somalia’s sovereignty.
“This recognition represents a dangerous precedent that will undermine the foundations of stability in the Horn of Africa region and open the door to further tensions and conflicts, contradicting regional and international efforts aimed at strengthening international peace and security in the region,” GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi said in a statement.
The European Union said it respected Somalia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, calling for dialogue between the Somali national government and Somaliland.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation issued a joint statement with the foreign ministers of several countries including Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye, and Yemen.
The group issued its “unequivocal rejection of Israel’s recognition of the ‘Somaliland’ region … given the serious repercussions of such unprecedented measure on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, and its serious effects on international peace and security as a whole”.
They criticised “Israel’s full and blatant disregard to international law” and expressed full support for the sovereignty of Somalia.
The group also rejected “any potential link between such measure [Somaliland recognition] and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people out of their land”.
Earlier this year, reports emerged linking potential recognition of Somaliland to plans for ethnically cleansing Palestinians in Gaza and forcibly moving them to the African region.
Somalia demands reversal of recognition
Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, China and Nigeria were among the other countries that condemned Israel’s move in separate statements.
The Palestinian Authority and Hamas also rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.
On Friday, Somalia demanded Israel reverse its recognition of Somaliland as independent, condemning the move as an act of “aggression that will never be tolerated”.
However, Somaliland leader Abdullahi hailed Israel’s decision as a “historic moment” and said in a post on X that it marked the beginning of a “strategic partnership”.
As world leaders weighed in, Somalia’s al-Qaeda-linked armed group al-Shabab pledged on Saturday to fight any attempt by Israel “to claim or use parts of Somaliland”.
“We will not accept it, and we will fight against it,” the group that has waged a decades-long armed rebellion in the region said in a statement.
United States President Donald Trump also commented on the issue.
Asked by the New York Post newspaper whether Washington planned to also recognise Somaliland, Trump said “no”.
“Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?” he added on Friday.
