Somalia president says no country other than Israel has recognised Somaliland
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud objected strongly to Israel's stance on Somaliland, saying no other country had recognised it as independent in over three decades.
Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has strongly objected to Israel's position on Somaliland. In an interview to Al Jazeera, he claimed that before Israel's recognition, no country had recognised Somaliland as an independent state in more than three decades.
Somalia still regards Somaliland as an integral part of its territory. Israel's recognition and the events that followed are therefore expected to affect the political and security equations of the Horn of Africa region.
Somaliland declared its separation from Somalia in 1991, but for several decades it did not receive wide international recognition. In December 2025, Israel recognised Somaliland as an independent state and announced that it would establish diplomatic relations with it.
Somalia protested the decision strongly. According to President Mohamud, the recognition is not driven by diplomatic reasons alone. Israel may also have major strategic interests.
The president claimed that the people of Somaliland are against an Israeli presence. Large-scale protests were also held in Somalia against Israel's recognition. The Somali government's position is that it will not allow Israel to use Somali territory for any military or other strategic purpose.
Somaliland's location near the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden makes it highly important. Any foreign military presence in the area could therefore have major implications for the security of the entire region.
The Somali government is concerned that Israel may try to build a military base in Somaliland. Somaliland, for its part, had initially made it clear that its ties with Israel were purely diplomatic. Reports later emerged that talks on possible military cooperation were under way.
This has deepened the Somali government's concern. Against this backdrop, the president is stressing the need to maintain the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The stand of the international community, including African countries, will now be important for Somaliland's future political status.
