Somali leaders meet after Israel's Somaliland move

Following Israel’s steps toward recognizing Somaliland as an independent state, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud convened an emergency meeting in Mogadishu with leaders from several federal member states and the Banadir regional administration.

The closed-door talks focused on what the president described as violations of Somalia’s territorial integrity and state sovereignty. Mohamud briefed the participants on the federal government’s response, stressing that any attempt to undermine Somalia’s unity could have serious repercussions for stability across the Horn of Africa. He said Mogadishu is pursuing a unified strategy based on international law and diplomatic engagement.

According to a statement from the presidency, Mohamud told the gathering that safeguarding Somalia’s independence and national cohesion is a shared responsibility. He urged political leaders to set aside differences and present a common front against what he called unrealistic ambitions that threaten the country’s existence as a sovereign state.

Leaders from the Southwest, Galmudug, Hirshabelle and Northeastern states, along with the governor of the Banadir Region, attended the meeting. In a joint message, they reaffirmed that Somaliland remains an inseparable part of the Federal Republic of Somalia and rejected any external recognition of the breakaway region.

The leaders warned that such recognition efforts could lead to serious political and security consequences, not only for Somalia but for the wider region. They pledged full backing for the federal government’s diplomatic efforts at both national and international levels to defend Somalia’s internationally recognized borders.

Puntland and Jubbaland were notably absent from the meeting, and neither administration has publicly commented on Israel’s reported position regarding Somaliland.

Somaliland, located in northwestern Somalia and formerly a British protectorate, declared independence in 1991 after the collapse of the central government. Despite maintaining its own institutions and relative stability for more than three decades, it has not been formally recognized by any United Nations member state, and Mogadishu continues to regard it as part of Somalia.