The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday that Egypt, Somalia, Djibouti, and Turkey reject any parallel entities that conflict with the unity of the Somali state, in response to Israel’s recognition of the “Somaliland” region. The joint position emphasizes adherence to international legitimacy and state sovereignty.
This came during phone calls conducted by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Friday with Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. The ministers discussed developments related to Israel’s recognition of the Somaliland region.
The ministers affirmed their total rejection and condemnation of the Israeli recognition, emphasizing full support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia. They expressed their rejection of any unilateral measures that would infringe upon Somali sovereignty or undermine the foundations of stability in the country, while reaffirming support for legitimate Somali state institutions.
A Dangerous Precedent and a Threat to Peace and Security
During the calls, the ministers stressed that recognizing the independence of parts of a state’s territory constitutes a dangerous precedent and a threat to international peace and security, as well as a violation of the established principles of international law and the UN Charter. They emphasized that respecting the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of states represents a fundamental pillar of international stability and must not be compromised under any pretext.
The ministers affirmed their categorical rejection of any attempts to impose a new reality or create parallel entities that conflict with international legitimacy and undermine opportunities for security, stability, and development. They also rejected any plans to displace the Palestinian people from their land, which the vast majority of the world’s countries reject in form and substance.
It is noted that the “Somaliland” region declared its secession from Mogadishu in 1991 following the outbreak of the civil war; however, it has not received any official international recognition from UN member states and has continued to be treated internationally as an autonomous region within Federal Somalia.
At the beginning of 2024, Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with “Somaliland” through which it obtained a maritime outlet and a military base on the Red Sea at the port of Berbera in exchange for recognizing the region’s independence. This sparked widespread anger in Mogadishu, which considered the agreement an act of aggression against its sovereignty.
These developments prompted Somalia to strengthen its political and military alliances with Egypt and Turkey, at a time when Cairo affirmed that Somalia’s security and unity are an integral part of its national security, especially in light of the dispute with Ethiopia over the Renaissance Dam and the rejection of any Ethiopian presence threatening influence in the Red Sea.
In this context, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi emphasized during a joint press conference with his Somali counterpart in Cairo that Egypt will not allow Somalia to be threatened or its security to be compromised, stressing his country’s readiness to confront any threat to its brothers if intervention is requested.
He pointed out that Somalia is an Arab state with a full right to activate the Joint Arab Defense Agreement if its sovereignty is endangered. In August 2024, the two countries signed a military cooperation protocol and a joint defense agreement, followed in January of this year by the signing of the “Joint Political Declaration” to upgrade relations to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership, including the initiation of procedures to send Egyptian forces to participate in the African Union mission to support stability in Somalia.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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