Mogadishu – Somali authorities have strongly condemned an announcement by Israeli officials on Friday recognizing Somaliland, which unilaterally declared independence in 1991 following the collapse of Somalia’s central government. The move has drawn widespread rejection from Somalia, regional states, and international organizations, which described it as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Somali federal government convened an emergency meeting in response, issuing a statement reaffirming that Somaliland is an indivisible part of Somalia. The government declared the Israeli announcement null and void, characterizing it as a clear breach of international law and an infringement on Somalia’s unity.

The Arab League denounced the move as an unacceptable provocation and a threat to regional security. Similarly, the African Union Commission rejected the recognition, stating that it contradicts the AU’s Constitutive Act, which upholds respect for the territorial boundaries of African states as inherited at independence.

Several countries, including Egypt, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Djibouti, also condemned the Israeli recognition, emphasizing that it undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and violates established principles of international law.

From a policy perspective, the developments underscore heightened sensitivities around state sovereignty, recognition politics, and regional stability in the Horn of Africa, while reaffirming broad international adherence to Somalia’s territorial unity.