Israel’s recognition of Somaliland sparks condemnation from Muslim states and EU

Some 21 mostly Muslim states condemned Israel’s diplomatic recognition of Somaliland on Friday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it had “announced today the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.”

The EU also criticized Israel’s diplomatic move, arguing that it will have “serious repercussions” for security and peace.

“The European Union reaffirms the importance of respecting the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia pursuant to its constitution, as well as the charters of the African Union and the United Nations,” Brussels said in an official statement.

“This is key for the peace and stability of the entire Horn of Africa region. The EU encourages meaningful dialogue between Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia to resolve long-standing differences."

Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and Jordan rejected Israel’s diplomatic recognition of Somaliland “given the serious repercussions of such an unprecedented measure on peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, and its serious effects on international peace and security as a whole.” Furthermore, the Muslim nations emphasized “the full rejection of any potential link between such a measure and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people from their land.”

The joint statement also argued that “the recognition of parts of states constitutes a serious precedent, threatens international peace and security, and violates the cardinal principles of international law and the United Nations Charter.”

However, in practice, Somalia is a failed state that has lost control over much of its territory.

Somaliland, which has a population of some 6 million people and is strategically located in the Red Sea region, broke away from Somalia in 1991. There have reportedly been discussions that Somaliland could potentially absorb Gazans wishing to leave the war-torn coastal enclave, something most Muslim nations oppose.

Turkey and Egypt have close ties with Somalia and are therefore strongly opposed to Jerusalem’s recognition of Somaliland. Syria also condemned Israel in a separate statement. By contrast, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain – which signed the Abraham Accords with Israel in 2020 – have notably refrained from joining the condemnation of Israel’s diplomatic recognition of Somaliland.

The United Nations Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Monday focusing on Israel's diplomatic recognition of Somaliland. Israel is so far the first country in the world to officially recognize Somaliland as an independent state. Netanyahu hailed the establishment of bilateral relations “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords,” adding that the two countries could cooperate in “economic fields, agriculture, and the fields of social development.”

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon announced on Saturday that “Israel will act responsibly, and we will continue to cooperate with partners who contribute to regional stability.”

The Trump administration has so far refrained from officially recognizing Somaliland’s independence. The U.S. State Department stated on Saturday that it continues to recognize the territorial integrity of Somalia, “which includes the territory of Somaliland.”

The establishment of relations between Israel and Somaliland is expected to be mutually beneficial. Somaliland, an impoverished and largely desert nation suffering from drought, would benefit from Israel’s expertise in water management and advanced agricultural technologies. Its location near Houthi-controlled Yemen could also potentially enhance Israel’s ability to strike the Iranian-backed militia, which has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack.