U.S., African Union Reaffirm Support As International Backlash From Africa and the Middle East Rise
A growing number of countries on Saturday rejected Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia, as an independent nation, a move announced Friday that marked the first such recognition by any country in more than 30 years.
It was not immediately clear why Israel made the declaration now or whether it expected anything in return.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, during a collapse into conflict that has left Somalia fragile for decades. Despite operating with its own government, currency, and security forces, Somaliland had not been formally recognized by any nation until Israel’s announcement.
In a joint statement released Saturday, more than 20 countries, most from the Middle East and Africa, along with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, rejected Israel’s recognition. The statement warned of “serious repercussions” for peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, as well as broader risks to international stability.
Somaliland lies along the Gulf of Aden, across from Yemen and next to Djibouti, a strategically significant country that hosts military bases for the United States, China, France, and other nations.
The joint statement also rejected “any potential link” between Israel’s recognition and attempts to forcibly expel Palestinians from their land. Syria separately issued a statement condemning Israel’s move.
Earlier this year, U.S. and Israeli officials told the Associated Press that Israel had approached Somaliland about potentially accepting Palestinians from Gaza, as part of then-President Donald Trump’s proposal to resettle Gaza’s population. That plan has since been abandoned by the United States.
The U.S. State Department said Saturday that the United States continues to recognize Somalia’s territorial integrity, explicitly stating that Somaliland remains part of Somalia.
Israel’s prime minister’s office said Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi signed a joint declaration “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords.”
The Abraham Accords, launched in 2020, normalized relations between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority countries. Trump has repeatedly described the framework as central to his vision for long-term regional stability.
Somalia’s federal government strongly rejected Israel’s recognition, calling it unlawful and reaffirming that Somaliland remains an integral part of Somalia’s sovereign territory.
African regional organizations also pushed back. African Union Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf warned that undermining Somalia’s sovereignty risks destabilizing the continent. The East African bloc Intergovernmental Authority on Development said unilateral recognition runs contrary to international law, the United Nations Charter, and agreements governing both IGAD and the African Union.
