Turkiye’s Erdogan calls Israel’s Somaliland recognition ‘unacceptable’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state, describing this decision as “illegitimate and unacceptable”.

At a joint news conference with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Ankara on Tuesday, Erdogan warned that Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somalia could destabilize the Horn of Africa.

He added that Turkey and Somalia were deepening energy cooperation after promising signs from joint offshore exploration efforts.

“Preserving the unity and integrity of Somalia in all circumstances is of particular importance to us. Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland is illegitimate and unacceptable,” Erdogan said.

“The Netanyahu government has the blood of 71,000 of our Palestinian brothers and sisters on its hands. Now it is also trying to destabilize the Horn of Africa, after its attacks on Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Qatar and Syria,” he added, referring to Israel’s genocidal war against Gaza.

Israel became the first and only country to officially recognize Somaliland last Fridaydescribing the move as being in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, which normalized ties between Israel and several Arab countries.

“Unlawful aggression”

Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991, following the collapse of the central government after a civil war. Despite maintaining its own currency, passport and army, the country has failed to gain international recognition.

Alongside Ergogan, Mohamud accused Israel of “unlawful aggression,” saying the recognition violates the United Nations charter and African Union agreements.

“Israel is exporting its problems to Gaza and Palestine and trying to distract the attention of the whole world, including the Arab and Islamic world,” he later told Al Jazeera in an interview.

“Israel will resort to forced displacement of Palestinians in Somalia. It also wants to control the strategically important waterways that connect the vital seas, both commercially and economically, between the Red Sea, the Gulf and the Gulf of Aden.”

Destabilize Africa

Mohamud warned that the move would have international consequences and also said it could mark the start of instability in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia.

He recalled that Turkey had previously played a mediating role between Somalia and Somaliland and continues to support efforts to resolve the dispute peacefully.

Abdinor Dahir, an independent researcher, said Turkey has invested heavily in Somalia, supporting its security forces and political process, while serving as a mediator in talks between Somalia and Somaliland.

Recognition of Israel “threatens Turkey’s economic interests” and its presence in the country and “poses a direct challenge to Somalia’s sovereignty”, he told Al Jazeera.

Dahir warned that Somalia, which has endured years of civil war and continues to battle armed groups like al-Shabab and ISIL (ISIS), has made progress in security that could be undermined by the move.

This recognition risks “destabilizing the entire African region and could transfer the conflict from the Middle East to the Horn of Africa,” he said.