The Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the African Union (AU) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have all criticised Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland as an independent state.
Somaliland, a breakaway region in the Horn of Africa, declared its independence from Somalia in 1991. Despite decades of functional autonomy and relative security, no country recognised Somaliland until Friday when Israel declared it a “independent and sovereign state”.
Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi praised the decision, describing it a “historic moment” and the beginning of a “strategic partnership”.
The announcement sparked immediate backlash. Somalia described Israel’s recognition as a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty, threatening regional peace. The AU cautioned that the move risked “setting a dangerous precedent with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent”.
The AU Commission chair, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, stated that the bloc “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”.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit described Israel’s action as “a clear violation of international law and a flagrant infringement of the principle of the unity and sovereignty of states”.
The GCC issued a statement describing the recognition as “a grave violation of the principles of international law and a blatant infringement” on Somali sovereignty. According to Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi, the decision “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”.
The OIC, along with foreign ministers from Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey and Yemen also issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s recognition.
They said that the action had “serious repercussions on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and international peace and security as a whole” in addition to “Israel’s full and blatant disregard for international law”.
The statement also disregarded “any potential link between such measure and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people out of their land”.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister (PM), who is also the foreign minister (FM), Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Islamabad’s support for Somalia in calls with Somali and Egyptian officials, promising to raise Somalia’s concerns at the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral forums.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry warned that Israel had previously identified Somaliland “as a destination for the forced displacement of our Palestinian people, particularly from the Gaza Strip” and urged the international community to prevent any complicity with such plans.
Somalia’s al-Qaeda-linked armed group al-Shabab also condemned the recognition, pledging to fight any attempt by Israel “to claim or use parts of Somaliland”.
While Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, framed the decision as part of the “spirit of the Abraham Accords”, the United States (US) distanced itself from the move.
Asked whether Washington planned to recognise Somaliland, President Donald Trump said, “No. Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?”