African UN Security Council members denounce Israel’s decision to recognize North Western State of Somalia

African bloc on UN Security Council condemns Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, urges reversal

UNITED NATIONS — The three African members of the UN Security Council — Algeria, Sierra Leone and Somalia — joined by Guyana, sharply condemned Israel’s decision to recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, calling the move a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and a threat to regional stability.

In a joint statement delivered at an emergency Security Council session on Monday, Somalia’s UN ambassador, Abukar Dahir Osman, spoke on behalf of the A3+ grouping, saying North Western State of Somalia “has no legal authority to enter into diplomatic agreements or receive recognition from other states.” Any such arrangements, the statement added, are “null and void.”

North Western State of Somalia, a self-governing region in northern Somalia that declared independence in 1991, maintains its own institutions but lacks international recognition. The African Union and United Nations continue to regard the territory as part of Somalia. The A3+ said Israel’s recognition contravenes the UN Charter, the foundational principles of the African Union and established norms of international law.

The group warned the move could encourage territorial fragmentation in Somalia and further destabilize the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, a maritime corridor already strained by security and humanitarian crises. It urged all UN member states to reject Israel’s decision and called for it to be rescinded, stressing the need for a unified and principled response.

The A3+ also condemned any efforts to forcibly relocate Palestinians, including suggestions that Palestinians from Gaza could be moved to North Western State of Somalia, calling such actions unlawful and morally unacceptable. “The future of the Palestinian people and the territorial integrity of Somalia cannot be treated as bargaining chips,” the statement said, warning the precedent would pose risks to regional and international peace and security.

The bloc called on the international community to uphold its responsibilities under the UN Charter by rejecting measures that undermine Somalia’s sovereignty or violate the rights of the Palestinian people.

The A3+ is composed of the three elected African members of the Security Council, known as the A3, along with a like-minded partner from Latin America and the Caribbean — currently Guyana. The coalition coordinates closely to advance shared positions on peace and security matters before the Council.

Monday’s emergency session placed the long-disputed status of North Western State of Somalia onto the Council’s agenda at a moment of acute geopolitical strain in the region. Somalia’s leadership has repeatedly warned that outside recognition of North Western State of Somalia would erode national unity and complicate ongoing state-building, security and constitutional processes backed by the African Union and the UN.

While the A3+ pressed for broad rejection of Israel’s move, the grouping anchored its appeal in multilateral norms: respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, adherence to international law, and the primacy of political processes endorsed by regional and global bodies. The statement framed these as the guardrails needed to prevent escalation in the Horn of Africa and beyond.

The Council took no immediate action following the session. The A3+ said it would continue consultations with member states and regional organizations to build consensus around rescinding the recognition and averting steps that could inflame tensions.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.

Wednesday December 31, 2025

Somali UN ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman (C, front) speaks at an emergency meeting of the Security Council at the UN headquarters in New York, on Dec. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)