Friday 9 Jun 2026 {HMC} Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has once again issued a strong warning against Israel’s ‘‘interference’’ in his country’s internal affairs, declaring that the country’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.

“I once again address the leadership of Israel. Somalia is not a country that can be occupied, divided, or bought. You will neither impose your will on us nor achieve the ambitions you seek,” President Mohamud said in a televised address on Thursday.

The comments by President Mohamud come after Israel became the first country to recognise Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state in December and a visit by Israeli foreign minister to the region earlier this week.

“These actions will only further increase the political and diplomatic isolation you (Israel) already face in the international community,” he said.

Hassan Sheikh expressed serious concern over what he described as the growing exposure of the Somaliland administration to foreign ambitions, adding that recent efforts to seek recognition from Israel reveal dangerous vulnerabilities.

“Today, it has once again become clear how susceptible the Hargeisa administration is to external agendas,” he noted.

The Somali president underscored that Israel’s international standing, particularly due to its genocidial war against Palestinians, makes its engagement in Somalia morally and politically troubling.

“Israel itself is internationally isolated and widely condemned for the displacement, destruction, and killing of the Palestinian people; crimes that have deeply saddened all people of conscience,” the President said.

Israel’s goal is ‘expansion’

Reaffirming Somalia’s constitutional position, President Hassan Sheikh stressed that the Federal Republic of Somalia remains a single, indivisible state.

“Somalia is a free, united nation whose territory cannot be altered by any paper written in Tel Aviv or by the signature of Prime Minister Netanyahu,” he said, adding that “no external actor has the authority to redraw our national boundaries.”

“This so-called recognition is not about the welfare of our people living in those regions,” Mohamud said.

“It is about Israel’s strategic interests, seeking land for expansion, relocating displaced Palestinians, and establishing military bases that threaten the stability of the Horn of Africa, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the wider Middle East.”

President Hassan Sheikh warned that failure to manage the situation wisely could have far-reaching consequences.

“If this matter is not handled with prudence and national responsibility, it could negatively affect our economy, development efforts, and political stability,” he cautioned.

Addressing Somali citizens in the northern regions directly, the President emphasised that legitimacy cannot be granted by foreign governments.

“Recognition does not come from Netanyahu or any external power,” he said. “It comes from the Somali state and the Somali people, with whom you share faith, culture, history, and citizenship.”

Mohamud urges national unity

He further warned residents that their territories could be turned into platforms for foreign military operations.

“Your lands are being targeted to become bases from which wars against other countries could be launched, conflicts you have no role in and no interest in,” he said.

The President urged Somalis not to dismiss these risks.

“Do not be misled into believing these threats are imaginary,” he warned. “They are real, and today you have the opportunity to reject them, tomorrow it may be too late to say we did not know,’’ President Mohamud said.

Reiterating his message to Israeli leaders, President Hassan Sheikh concluded: “Somalia cannot be conquered, divided, or purchased. You will not achieve your objectives here, and these attempts will only deepen your isolation.”

“I extend my sincere gratitude to the Somali people everywhere for standing firmly against these dangerous actions,” he said.

“Let it be clear: Somalia will not legitimise Israel’s ambitions. We remain committed to defending our unity, sovereignty, and independence, and we are prepared to sacrifice whatever is necessary to protect them.”

SOURCE:TRT Afrika

Friday 9 Jun 2026 {HMC} More than 20 countries have jointly condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and the recent visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to the region, calling the move a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and urging Israel to immediately revoke its decision.

In a joint statement issued early Friday, the countries rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an independent state, reaffirmed Somalia’s territorial integrity and warned that encouraging secessionist agendas risks further destabilizing an already fragile region.

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The statement was endorsed by Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, The Gambia, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan and Türkiye. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which represents most Muslim-majority nations, also backed the statement.
The signatories specifically condemned Saar’s visit to Somaliland earlier this week, which came days after Israel became the only country to formally recognize the self-declared republic in northwestern Somalia.

“Encouraging secessionist agendas is unacceptable and risks exacerbating tensions in an already fragile region,” the statement said, while praising Somalia’s commitment to peaceful international engagement and adherence to international law.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not been recognized by the international community. Somalia’s federal government considers the region an integral part of its internationally recognized territory and has described Israel’s recognition as a breach of international law.

During his visit, Saar said Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi had accepted an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make an official visit to Israel, a move that further heightened diplomatic tensions.

Somaliland authorities have denied that Israel’s recognition would allow the establishment of Israeli military bases on its territory or facilitate the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza. Israeli officials have publicly advocated what they describe as voluntary Palestinian migration from Gaza, a proposal that has drawn strong opposition from Arab states and international organizations.

The joint condemnation adds to mounting diplomatic pressure on Israel following its recognition of Somaliland, with the African Union, Arab League and United Nations all reaffirming support for Somalia’s unity and internationally recognized borders.

Somali officials say the breadth of opposition underscores international consensus on the issue and strengthens Mogadishu’s position as it seeks to block any steps that could legitimize Somaliland’s secession or redraw borders in the Horn of Africa.

Source Hiiraan Online

Friday 9 Jun 2026 {HMC} Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday night forcefully rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, warning that the move threatens Somalia’s unity and regional stability, while renewing his call for dialogue with Somaliland’s leadership to resolve decades-old political grievances.

In a nationally broadcast speech posted by the presidential palace, Hassan Sheikh said Somalia would not accept any attempt to divide the country through unilateral foreign action, describing Israel’s decision as driven by its own strategic interests rather than the welfare of Somaliland’s population.

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“The Federal Republic of Somalia is one country, free and indivisible,” the president said. “Its territory cannot be divided by a document written by Israel or signed by Benjamin Netanyahu,” whom he described as facing international legal challenges.
Hassan Sheikh said the federal government, working with international partners, was taking measures to block what he called Israeli violations of Somalia’s sovereignty, and he thanked foreign governments and organizations that have publicly backed Somalia’s territorial integrity.

The speech marked the president’s second direct address on Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, announced late last year and widely condemned by regional and international bodies, including the African Union, Arab League, European Union, IGAD and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Much of the speech focused on Somalia’s fraught relationship with Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 but has never received international recognition.

Hassan Sheikh said successive Somaliland administrations had failed to fully engage in dialogue with Mogadishu, arguing that talks had stalled largely on the Hargeisa side.

“Unfortunately, successive administrations in Somaliland did not dare to recognize that dialogue is the solution to achieving unity,” he said, adding that alternative paths had only deepened divisions among Somalis.

He cited the now-suspended memorandum of understanding between Somaliland and Ethiopia as an example of what he described as a unilateral move that derailed earlier optimism about negotiations.

The president stressed that Somalia’s federal government has consistently pushed for talks, saying he personally prioritized dialogue during both his previous and current terms in office and warned against inflammatory rhetoric that revives memories of past conflict.

Hassan Sheikh argued that Israel’s recognition was not about Somaliland’s aspirations but about broader geopolitical ambitions, including what he alleged were plans to establish military bases and advance Israeli interests across the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

He warned that, if mishandled, the situation could negatively affect Somalia’s economy, development and political stability.

Somaliland authorities have denied claims that recognition would allow Israeli military bases or facilitate the resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza. Israeli officials have promoted what they describe as voluntary Palestinian migration, a proposal strongly rejected by Arab states and international organizations.

Addressing Somaliland’s leadership directly, Hassan Sheikh said international recognition cannot occur without the consent of the parent state, citing examples such as South Sudan and Eritrea, whose independence followed negotiated political agreements.

“If the original country is not convinced, recognition is not possible,” he said, comparing Somaliland’s situation to Catalonia in Spain and Taiwan in China, regions that lack broad international recognition due to unresolved sovereignty disputes.

“Recognition is not in Netanyahu’s hands,” Hassan Sheikh said. “It lies with the government and people of Somalia.”

Despite his firm tone, the president said the federal government remained open to compromise, emphasizing that unity could be achieved through meaningful concessions.

“If it is recognition of rights, decentralization, power-sharing we are ready for it,” he said. “We are ready for real dialogue and mutual understanding.”

Hassan Sheikh acknowledged the suffering endured by civilians in northern Somalia under past military regimes, saying Mogadishu had already recognized those injustices and that dialogue remained the only path to addressing historical wrongs.

In recent days, more than 20 countries issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and urging Tel Aviv to reverse its decision. Signatories included Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar and Somalia, with endorsement from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The president said the breadth of international opposition reinforced Somalia’s position and underscored global support for its sovereignty.

As diplomatic pressure mounts, Hassan Sheikh framed the moment as a test of unity, urging Somalis to reject division and warning that foreign recognition without Somali consent would neither bring stability nor legitimacy.

Source Hiiraan Online