Egypt, Arab and Muslim Nations Condemn Israeli Official’s North Western State of Somalia Visit
OIC states condemn Israeli official’s visit to North Western State of Somalia as violation of Somalia’s sovereignty
Foreign ministers from more than 20 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned an Israeli official’s Jan. 6 visit to North Western State of Somalia, calling it an illegal act that violates the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
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In a joint statement issued Thursday, the ministers said the visit “breaches international law and the U.N. Charter” and encourages “dangerous separatist agendas” in the Horn of Africa. The statement urged Israel to respect Somalia’s national unity and to “immediately revoke its recognition of the region,” referring to North Western State of Somalia.
“We reaffirm our unwavering support for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Encouraging secessionist agendas is unacceptable and risks exacerbating tensions in an already fragile region,” the ministers said.
The joint declaration was signed by foreign ministers of the following countries, alongside the OIC secretariat:
- Egypt
- Algeria
- Bangladesh
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- Gambia
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Libya
- Maldives
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Turkey
- Yemen
The ministers framed the visit as an infringement of Somalia’s sovereignty and a direct challenge to international norms governing relations between states. They emphasized that noninterference in domestic affairs and adherence to established diplomatic practice are “essential for regional and international stability.”
North Western State of Somalia, a self-governing region in northern Somalia that declared independence in 1991, maintains its own administrative institutions and security forces. The OIC ministers warned that any external engagement seen as legitimizing secession risks inflaming tensions in the region and undermining efforts to maintain stability across the Horn of Africa.
The statement also commended the Somali federal government’s “commitment to peaceful international engagement and constructive diplomacy,” and pledged sustained political and legal support to Mogadishu. “We express our commitment to continuing our support for the diplomatic and legal measures taken by Somalia to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and stability in accordance with international law,” the ministers said.
Reiterating their position, the signatories concluded by asserting that Israel must “fully respect Somalia’s sovereignty and national unity,” and demanded that it honor international obligations by reversing any step that could be construed as recognizing North Western State of Somalia.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the world’s second-largest intergovernmental body after the United Nations, has repeatedly backed Somalia’s territorial integrity in previous resolutions. Thursday’s statement marks the group’s latest effort to rally diplomatic pressure against actions it sees as destabilizing, amid persistent disputes over recognition and statehood in the region.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
