RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its full support for Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, while firmly rejecting the declaration of mutual recognition between Israel and Somaliland.
Israel on Friday formally recognised Somaliland as an “independent and sovereign state” and signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations, as the region’s leader welcomed what he described as its first official recognition.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said the Israeli action violates international law.
The Kingdom also reiterated its rejection of any attempts to impose parallel entities that undermine Somalia’s unity, and reaffirmed its support for the legitimate institutions of the Somali state, as well as its commitment to preserving the stability of Somalia and its brotherly people.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has for decades pushed for international recognition, the key priority for President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi since he took office last year.
Several other countries condemned Israel’s decision. The African Union (AU) rejected the move and warned that it risked “setting a dangerous precedent with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent”.
Somaliland “remains an integral part” of Somalia, an AU member, said the pan-African body’s head, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the decision was “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords”, referring to a series of agreements brokered by US President Donald Trump in his first term that normalised ties between Israel and several Arab nations.
