Source: United Nations (video statements)
Briefing by Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, on Israel’s Recognition of “Somaliland” as an Independent State, during the Security Council, 10084th meeting.
Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari told the Security Council that on 26 December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel’s official recognition of “Somaliland” as an independent and sovereign state, a move rejected by Somalia and criticized by several regional actors. Khiari said that on the same day, “Somaliland” issued a statement welcoming what it described as a “historic and principled” decision by Israel to recognize its sovereignty and independence.
Briefing the Council on 29th December, Khiari said Somalia’s federal government responded by reaffirming its “absolute and non-negotiable commitment” to its sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity, as set out in its provisional constitution, the Charter of the United Nations, and the Constitutive Act of the African Union. According to Khiari, Somalia said it categorically rejected what it described as a deliberate attack on its sovereignty, stressing that no external actor has the authority to alter its unity or territorial configuration and that any declaration or recognition seeking to undermine this reality is null and void under international law.
He added that Israel’s announcement prompted reactions from across the region and beyond, including Egypt, Jordan, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, as well as a joint statement by 20 Middle Eastern and African countries rejecting and condemning Israel’s recognition of “Somaliland.”
In closing, Khiari recalled that the Security Council has repeatedly affirmed respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity of Somalia, most recently in resolution 2809 adopted on 23 December 2025. He also called on Somalia and Somaliland to engage in peaceful and constructive dialogue, recalling the 2023 Djibouti Communiqué on talks between the two sides.
Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Abukar Dahir Osman, told the Council that Israel’s move represented a direct violation of the UN Charter, the African Union’s fundamental principles and international law. He said the decision was aimed at encouraging fragmentation of Somali territory and warned it could destabilize the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
Osman also referred to statements by some officials on the possible forced relocation of Palestinians, saying the A3+ group unequivocally rejected any steps aimed at relocating Palestinians from Gaza to the northwestern region of Somalia.
The United States said there had been no change in its policy. Ambassador Tammy Bruce told the Council that earlier unilateral recognitions of a Palestinian state had not prompted emergency meetings and said the Council’s focus on Somaliland reflected persistent double standards. She added that Washington had no announcement to make regarding U.S. recognition of Somaliland.
France’s Permanent Representative Jérôme Bonnafont said Paris would continue to oppose any forced displacement of civilian populations and any violation of international law, recalling the spirit of the New York Declaration adopted by the General Assembly in September.
Jonathan Miller, Deputy Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations said, “Somaliland’s historical sovereignty, more than three decades of effective self-governance and demonstrated capacity to act as a responsible international partner, meets the legal criteria that guide recognition. Israel has aligned its foreign policy with this reality.”