The Federal Republic of Somalia has strongly condemned a January 6 visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to Hargeisa, describing it as a “serious violation of Somalia’s territorial sovereignty, political unity and territorial integrity.” Mogadishu’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs labelled the trip an unauthorised incursion into Somali territory following Israel’s recent formal recognition of Somaliland, the breakaway region that declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but lacks international legal recognition.
In an official statement, Somalia’s government said any official engagement or presence in Hargeisa without the explicit consent of the Federal Government is illegal, null and void under international law, including the United Nations Charter and the Constitutive Act of the African Union, and amounts to unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign United Nations member state.
Sa’ar’s visit came shortly after Israel’s groundbreaking recognition of Somaliland on December 26, 2025, and included a meeting with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, focusing on expanding bilateral cooperation. Israel has said it plans to open an embassy in Hargeisa and establish full diplomatic relations, a move that has fuelled controversy across the Horn of Africa and beyond.
Somalia has called on Israel to halt actions that undermine its sovereignty and urged international bodies including the United Nations, African Union, League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to reaffirm support for Somalia’s internationally recognised borders. The federal government also stated it reserves the right to pursue all appropriate legal and diplomatic measures to protect national unity and territorial integrity.
The dispute highlights escalating tensions in the region over Somaliland’s status, raising broader questions about territorial integrity, diplomatic recognition and regional stability.
