The African Union’s Peace and Security Council has issued a sharp rebuke of Israel’s move to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state, describing the decision as unlawful and warning that it poses a serious risk to Somalia’s territorial integrity and wider regional stability.
Following a formal meeting, the council released a statement rejecting what it termed Israel’s “unilateral action” toward Somaliland, the self-declared secessionist region in northern Somalia. The council said the recognition directly violates the sovereignty, unity, and internationally recognized borders of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The council stated that it “strongly denounces this misguided decision” and demanded its immediate reversal, reaffirming the African Union’s longstanding position in support of Somalia’s unity, based on the principles of the AU Constitutive Act and relevant provisions of the United Nations Charter.
Emphasizing the inviolability of borders, the council stressed that no state or external actor has the legal authority to redraw the boundaries of an African Union member. Any such action, it said, is illegal, void, and carries no legal standing.
The statement further cautioned that attempts to alter borders through coercion or unlawful political maneuvers violate the core principles of the African Union and risk setting a dangerous precedent, with potentially destabilizing consequences across the continent—particularly in the strategically sensitive Horn of Africa.
The council welcomed earlier comments made by African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf on December 26, 2025, who rejected any initiative aimed at recognizing Somaliland as an independent state. He described such efforts as incompatible with African Union and United Nations norms and as a direct threat to continental peace and the objectives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Member states and international partners were urged to reaffirm their support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial unity, oppose all illegal actions, and uphold international law. The council also called on African Union members to support United Nations initiatives, including potential action at the General Assembly, aimed at protecting Somalia’s territorial integrity.
In addition, the council praised the Somali federal government’s ongoing state-building efforts and encouraged sustained, inclusive internal dialogue as the only viable path to resolving political differences between the central government and federal member states. It urged the African Union Commission, working alongside the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the East African Community, to continue facilitating comprehensive peace negotiations.
The council also underscored the importance of consolidating recent security gains and intensifying operations against the Al-Shabaab armed group. It concluded by stating that it would continue to closely monitor the situation and remain actively engaged as developments unfold.
