Somalia: Somaliland "Integral, Inseparable" Part of Our Territory

Somalia strongly reaffirmed that the Somaliland region is an inseparable part of its sovereign territory, rejecting any attempt to recognize it as an independent entity or to establish foreign military bases on Somali soil.

In an official statement issued late Friday, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Israel’s announcement recognizing Somaliland, warning that the move threatens Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial unity. The statement came just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration, prompting swift diplomatic backlash from Mogadishu.

The Somali Foreign Ministry called on all countries and international partners to respect international law, adhere to the principles of non-interference and territorial integrity, and act responsibly in support of peace, stability, and security in the Horn of Africa.

The statement stressed that Somalia will not allow the establishment of any foreign military bases or security arrangements that could drag the country into proxy conflicts or import regional and international hostilities into the region.

Somalia reiterated its “absolute and non-negotiable” commitment to its sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity, as enshrined in the country’s provisional constitution, the United Nations Charter, and the Constitutive Act of the African Union. It categorically rejected what it described as a deliberate attack on its sovereignty and Israel’s “illegal” step of claiming to recognize the northern region of Somalia.

The ministry emphasized that Somaliland is an indivisible and inalienable part of the sovereign territory of the Federal Republic of Somalia, asserting that the country is a single, unified state that cannot be fragmented. It added that no external party has the authority or legitimacy to alter Somalia’s unity or territorial composition.

According to the statement, any declaration, recognition, or arrangement aimed at undermining this reality is null and void, with no legal or political effect under international law. Issues related to Somalia’s unity, system of governance, and constitutional order, it said, remain the exclusive prerogative of the Somali people and can only be resolved through lawful, constitutional, and peaceful means.

The Somali government warned that such unlawful actions seriously undermine regional peace and stability, exacerbating political and security tensions in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Middle East, and beyond. It also cautioned that these moves contradict collective international efforts to combat terrorism, including threats posed by Al-Shabaab and ISIS, and risk creating conditions that extremist groups could exploit.

The statement followed an announcement by Egypt’s Foreign Ministry that Egypt, Somalia, Djibouti, and Turkey jointly reject any parallel entities that contradict Somalia’s unity. During phone calls on Friday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed the issue with his counterparts from Somalia, Turkey, and Djibouti, with all sides condemning Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and reaffirming full support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Somaliland declared its unilateral separation from Mogadishu in 1991 following the outbreak of Somalia’s civil war. However, it has never received formal international recognition and continues to be treated globally as a self-governing region within the Somali federal state.

Tensions surrounding the region escalated further in early 2024, when Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland granting Addis Ababa access to a maritime outlet and a military base on the Red Sea at the port of Berbera in exchange for recognizing the region’s independence. The deal sparked widespread anger in Mogadishu, which described it as an assault on Somalia’s sovereignty and responded by strengthening its military and political alliances with Egypt and Turkey.