Somalia warns against foreign military bases after Israel recognises breakaway Somaliland
Somalia, in an official statement, has categorically rejected Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland as a separate entity.
The East African nation reiterated its absolute commitment to the country’s sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity. Citing the Provisional Constitution, the United Nations Charter, and the African Union Constitutive Act, the government stated that these principles are non-negotiable and fundamental to Somalia's governance.
Mogadishu described the move as a deliberate violation of its sovereignty. “The Somaliland Region is an integral, inseparable, and inalienable part of the sovereign territory of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” the statement read.
Somalia reaffirmed its status as a single, indivisible sovereign state. It noted that no external actor has the legal authority to alter its unity or territorial boundaries.
According to the government, any declaration or recognition that attempts to undermine Somalia’s unity holds no legitimacy under international law. The statement further emphasised that all matters relating to Somalia’s governance and constitutional order fall exclusively within the domain of the Somali people and must be resolved through lawful and peaceful processes.
In addition, the government expressed continued support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination, a claim which the current Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, opposes.
Somalia condemned occupation, forced displacement, demographic changes, and settlement expansions. “Somalia will never accept efforts to render the Palestinian people stateless,” the statement added.
Somalia also issued a warning against the establishment of foreign military bases or security arrangements within its borders. The government stated that such actions could involve Somalia in proxy conflicts and import regional or international hostilities. It noted that these developments could threaten peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, while also providing opportunities for terrorist groups like Al-Shabaab and ISIS.
Last year, Somalia nullified a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the self-declared Somaliland administration with landlocked Ethiopia, granting it access to the Red Sea.
The agreement had proposed to lease a corridor to Addis Ababa, granting it access to the Bab El-Mandeb Strait in the Gulf of Aden for 50 years.
In exchange, Somaliland would have reportedly received an unspecified stake in Ethiopian Airlines and formal recognition as an independent state.
Somalia rejected the MoU, asserting that Somaliland remains an integral part of its territory.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
