Ankara, December 31
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly criticised Israel's decision to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state, calling the move "illegitimate and unacceptable" and warning that it could fuel instability across the Horn of Africa.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Ankara, Erdogan said Ankara viewed Somalia's territorial unity as non-negotiable and accused Israel of taking steps that could undermine regional stability, Al Jazeera reported.
"Preserving the unity and integrity of Somalia in all circumstances holds special importance in our view. Israel's decision to recognise Somaliland is illegitimate and unacceptable," Erdogan said.
Erdogan further accused the Israeli government of pursuing destabilising policies beyond the Middle East. "The Netanyahu government has the blood of 71,000 of our Palestinian brothers and sisters on its hands. Now it is trying to destabilise the Horn of Africa as well, after its attacks on Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Qatar and Syria," he said, referring to Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.
During the meeting, Erdogan also said Turkiye and Somalia were expanding cooperation in the energy sector, citing encouraging signs from joint offshore exploration activities, according to Al Jazeera.
Israel last Friday became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland, saying the move was in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, which normalised ties between Israel and several Arab nations.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of Somalia's central government after a civil war. Despite operating with its own currency, passport and armed forces, it has not received international recognition.
Standing alongside Erdogan, Somali President Mohamud condemned Israel's move as "illegal aggression", saying it violated the United Nations Charter and African Union agreements.
In a later interview with Al Jazeera, Mohamud accused Israel of attempting to shift global attention away from Gaza and Palestine. "Israel is exporting its problems in Gaza and Palestine, and it is trying to divert the attention of the entire world, including the Arab and Islamic world," he said.
Mohamud also warned of broader geopolitical motives behind the recognition. "Israel will resort to forcibly displacing Palestinians in Somalia. It also wants to control strategically important waterways that connect vital seas, both commercially and economically, between the Red Sea, the Gulf, and the Gulf of Aden," he said.
He cautioned that the decision could have international repercussions and spark renewed instability in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa, adding that Turkiye has previously played a mediating role between Somalia and Somaliland and continues to support peaceful dialogue.
Commenting on the situation, independent researcher Abdinor Dahir told Al Jazeera that Turkiye has made substantial investments in Somalia, backing its security forces, political process and mediation efforts.
Israel's recognition of Somaliland, he said, "threatens Turkiye's economic interests" and presence in Somalia and "poses a direct challenge to Somalia's sovereignty".
Dahir also warned that Somalia's recent security gains, achieved after years of civil war and ongoing battles against armed groups including al-Shabab and ISIL (ISIS), could be jeopardised by the move.
"The recognition risks destabilising the wider African region, and could transfer the Middle East conflict into the Horn of Africa," he said.
- ANI
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