MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has warned that Israel’s engagement with the breakaway region of Somaliland could undermine Somalia’s ongoing efforts toward national reconciliation and peaceful reunification.
The president said external diplomatic contacts with Somaliland risk complicating sensitive political processes aimed at preserving Somalia’s territorial integrity and strengthening national cohesion.
His comments come amid increased international attention on Somaliland’s expanding foreign outreach, including recent high-level interactions with Israeli officials. Israel is currently the only country that formally recognises Somaliland, a self-declared republic that has operated with its own institutions since declaring independence in 1991, but remains unrecognised by the wider international community.
Somaliland’s unilateral declaration of independence followed the collapse of Somalia’s central government more than three decades ago. However, Mogadishu continues to regard the territory as an integral part of the Somali Republic.
The federal government has repeatedly rejected any diplomatic engagement that could be interpreted as legitimising Somaliland’s secession, arguing that such moves risk weakening ongoing national dialogue and long-term stability efforts.
President Mohamud’s warning reflects growing diplomatic friction as Somaliland seeks to deepen ties with international partners, while Somalia continues to advocate for the preservation of its sovereignty and territorial unity.
The development adds to a series of geopolitical tensions in the Horn of Africa, where shifting alliances and competing diplomatic initiatives are reshaping regional relations.
Neither Israeli nor Somaliland authorities immediately responded to the president’s remarks.
Analysts say the issue is likely to further complicate already delicate regional diplomacy, particularly as Somaliland intensifies efforts to gain broader international recognition while Somalia pushes for unified statehood under its federal government.
