Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has called for an emergency session of the African Union Peace and Security Council to formally oppose Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland, arguing that the move violates international law and threatens stability in the Horn of Africa. Abdelatty made the request during a virtual ministerial session of the council, emphasising that unilateral recognition of a breakaway region undermines the United Nations Charter, the African Union’s Constitutive Act and core principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Israel’s announcement that it would become the first country to recognise Somaliland’s independence has triggered widespread diplomatic backlash. Somalia’s federal government has described the recognition as a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty and has demanded that Israel reverse the decision. The African Union Commission also issued a statement rejecting the move, warning it could set a dangerous precedent that threatens peace and stability across the continent.
Egypt has coordinated its response with regional partners. Abdelatty held urgent phone consultations with foreign ministers from Somalia, Turkey and Djibouti, who jointly condemned the recognition and reaffirmed their support for Somali unity and sovereignty. These ministers argued that recognising breakaway regions within sovereign states erodes international legal norms and could have far‑reaching geopolitical consequences.
Across the broader region, governments and supra‑national organisations have voiced concern. A cross‑regional group of Arab, African and Islamic states issued a joint statement condemning the recognition as a violation of international law and the UN Charter, warning of serious repercussions for peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and beyond. They reaffirmed support for Somalia’s territorial integrity and condemned any linkage of the recognition to plans to displace the Palestinian population.
Israel’s recognition represented a historic diplomatic shift for Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but had previously lacked formal recognition from any UN member state until late December 2025. In response to the controversy, the Arab League has also scheduled emergency meetings to discuss political and legal implications, aiming to coordinate a unified regional response.
