Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday that Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland was “illegitimate and unacceptable” as he met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Turkey.
“Preserving the unity and integrity of Somalia in all circumstances holds special importance in our view,” Erdoğan said at a joint news conference with Mohamud.
Mohamud said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s move was “unacceptable,” calling it “a violation of international law” and warning it would fuel insecurity in Somalia and the wider region.
Israel announced on December 26 that it was recognizing Somaliland, a self-declared republic in northern Somalia that declared independence in 1991 but has not been widely recognized as a sovereign state.
The African Union Commission chair rejected any recognition of Somaliland and said it remained part of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The European Union also reaffirmed support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and urged dialogue between Somaliland and Somalia’s federal government.
Turkey is a close partner of Somalia and has expanded its security and economic role there over the past decade, including military training and energy cooperation.
© Agence France-Presse