Djibouti Warns Israeli Base in North Western State of Somalia Endangers Horn of Africa Stability

Djibouti warns Israeli base in North Western State of Somalia threatens Horn of Africa peace

DJIBOUTI CITY, Djibouti — Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh has issued a sharp rebuke of Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, warning that the potential establishment of an Israeli military base in the strategic port city of Berbera poses a direct threat to regional stability.

In an expansive interview with Jeune Afrique, Guelleh accused Israel of exploiting North Western State of Somalia’s decades-long quest for statehood to secure a foothold in the Horn of Africa. He voiced concern that the authorities in Hargeisa could consent to far-reaching geopolitical concessions in exchange for formal recognition, calling the reported prospect of an Israeli installation in Berbera his “primary concern.”

The veteran leader coupled that warning with unusually blunt criticism of the United Arab Emirates, which he described as Israel’s chief “gateway” into the region. Guelleh argued the UAE is steering strategic shifts across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea that risk compounding existing conflicts. He further alleged Emirati involvement in destabilizing dynamics in Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Chad and Libya.

Guelleh stressed that Djibouti does not align with Emirati ambitions, reaffirming instead his country’s close strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia. Djibouti continues to provide the Kingdom with base access, he said, underscoring Djibouti’s self-defined role as a gatekeeper to one of the world’s vital maritime corridors.

The remarks come as ties between Djibouti and North Western State of Somalia’s new leadership have visibly cooled. Guelleh characterized relations with North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro” as “cold,” noting that his government has declined meetings or high-level dialogue with the new administration. While land borders remain open, commercial flights between Djibouti and Hargeisa have been suspended, he said.

For 34 years, Guelleh argued, North Western State of Somalia’s leadership has pursued recognition “at any cost,” a path he claims now endangers Somali unity and violates core principles of the African Union and international law. He framed Djibouti as among the most vocal opponents of North Western State of Somalia’s recent diplomatic maneuvers, maintaining that any recognition of the breakaway region undermines the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Guelleh’s intervention adds fresh urgency to tensions rippling across the Horn of Africa amid shifting alliances and intensifying external competition for influence. By his account, an Israeli military footprint in North Western State of Somalia would alter the regional security calculus and heighten the risk of escalation along a corridor already strained by conflict and great-power rivalry.

The president did not elaborate on any specific countermeasures Djibouti might take, but his comments signal potential headwinds for any rapid moves toward deepened Israeli-North Western State of Somalia defense cooperation. They also underscore Djibouti’s intention to position itself as a key arbiter in Red Sea security at a moment when states across the region are recalibrating relationships in response to fast-changing geopolitical realities.

Guelleh’s statements, delivered in the Jeune Afrique interview, reflect Djibouti’s longstanding public stance that African borders should not be redrawn outside of continental consensus and in ways that could inflame volatile internal dynamics. For now, the message from Djibouti’s leadership is unambiguous: any external military entrenchment in North Western State of Somalia—particularly by Israel—risks widening fault lines and complicating efforts to keep the Horn of Africa’s fragile balance intact.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.