Condemnations keep growing over Israel’s Somaliland recognition

The list of countries and organizations condemning Israel’s recognition of Somaliland continues to grow. Since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the decision yesterday, a broad range of governments and regional bodies have voiced strong opposition.

Countries including Djibouti, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey, Jordan, Yemen, China, Iraq, and Palestine have issued condemnations. Regional and international organizations such as the African Union (AU), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have also rejected the move. More recently, Qatar, Sudan, Pakistan, South Sudan, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have joined the list.

In a statement, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country “expresses its complete rejection and strong condemnation of the Israeli occupation’s recognition of the Somaliland region,” describing the move as a violation of international conventions and “a dangerous precedent that undermines the stability and security of the entire region.” The statement added that Sudan “affirms its full solidarity with the brotherly Somali people” and reiterated its “complete support for the unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia and its full sovereignty over all its territories and internationally recognized borders.”

Qatar issued a similar statement, noting its “unequivocal rejection of the announcement of mutual recognition between the Israeli occupation authorities and the Somaliland region.” Doha said the step constitutes “a dangerous precedent and a unilateral action that contravenes the principles of international law,” undermining Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. Qatar further stated that it would be “more appropriate for the Israeli occupation authorities to recognize the State of Palestine—whose right to establish an independent state is recognized by the international community—and to work toward a sustainable end to the war in the Gaza Strip, rather than continuing policies that heighten tensions and instability in the region.”

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement published on its official website, also condemned the recognition and reaffirmed its “support for Somalia’s territorial sovereignty.” South Sudan echoed similar sentiments.

IGAD released a statement today reaffirming that “the Federal Republic of Somalia remains a sovereign IGAD Member State whose unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are fully recognized under international law.” The regional bloc warned that any unilateral recognition runs contrary to the United Nations Charter, the Constitutive Act of the African Union, and the agreement establishing IGAD.

Meanwhile, the Somalia’s government said President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud has held phone calls with regional leaders, including Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, Tanzania’s president, Samia Suluhu and Kenya’s president, William Ruto. According to a press statement, the leaders “unanimously reaffirmed full support for Somalia’s unity, territorial integrity, and independence under international law.”

President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud also addressed the issue publicly for the first time. In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, he said, “The illegal aggression of PM Netanyahu in recognizing a part of Somalia’s northern region is against international law.” He added, “Meddling with Somalia’s internal affairs is contrary to established legal and diplomatic rules. Somalia and its people are one—inseparable by division.”

On the other hand, Somaliland’s presidential spokesperson Hussein Deyr defended the recognition, describing it as “the outcome of a long and deliberate national journey shaped by reconciliation rather than conflict, sustained by democratic legitimacy, and anchored in the consistent exercise of sovereign responsibility without foreign trusteeship or imposed authority.”

Since the news broke yesterday, it has triggered widespread diplomatic shockwaves across the region. Somaliland has long sought international recognition, and Israel’s decision marks a significant diplomatic breakthrough for Somaliland. Despite Somaliland’s vehement denial, reports have circulated linking the recognition to discussions about hosting Palestinians displaced by the war in Gaza. However, during yesterday’s call, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that Somaliland could become part of the Abraham Accords.

Read our earlier reporting here.

1. https://www.geeska.com/en/israels-somaliland-recognition-triggers-diplomatic-storm

2. https://www.geeska.com/en/israel-becomes-first-recognize-somaliland