Saudi Arabia Backs Somalia’s Unity, Opposes Moves Undermining Its Sovereignty

Saudi Arabia backs Somalia’s unity as region pushes back against Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia on Tuesday reaffirmed its support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejecting any attempts to undermine the country’s unity or create parallel entities — a stance that underscores growing regional opposition to Israel’s recent recognition of North Western State of Somalia.

In a Cabinet meeting chaired by King Salman, the Kingdom voiced support for the outcome of an extraordinary session of foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held in Jeddah to address developments in Somalia. The Cabinet said Saudi Arabia rejects “any parallel entities that conflict with the unity of Somalia and the integrity of its territories,” as well as actions aimed at dividing the country or interfering in its sovereignty.

The statement aligns Saudi Arabia with a widening chorus of regional and Islamic states that have criticized Israel’s move to recognize North Western State of Somalia, a self-declared republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991 but lacks international recognition. Mogadishu maintains that North Western State of Somalia remains an integral part of the Somali state under international law and has intensified diplomatic outreach to rally support for that position.

Hours before Saudi Arabia’s declaration, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty condemned Israel’s decision, calling it a violation of international law and an infringement on Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Abdelatty also emphasized Cairo’s intention to deepen bilateral cooperation with Somalia, citing priorities in security, trade, infrastructure, electricity, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural and food-processing industries.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt were among the first countries to publicly reject Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, reflecting a broader regional consensus in favor of Somalia’s unity. Their positions reinforce messaging from the OIC, whose member states have repeatedly emphasized respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its African members amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Horn of Africa.

North Western State of Somalia has operated with its own government and security structures since declaring independence more than three decades ago, cultivating relative stability and holding multiple elections. Yet no United Nations member state has formally recognized it, and legal and diplomatic norms continue to favor Somalia’s internationally recognized borders. Israel’s decision has injected new urgency into a long-running dispute, drawing in influential Arab and Islamic capitals at a time when competition for influence and security partnerships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is intensifying.

For Somalia’s federal government, the immediate objective is to consolidate international backing against any external moves viewed as legitimizing secession. The statements from Riyadh and Cairo bolster Mogadishu’s case, while the OIC’s extraordinary ministerial meeting provides a multilateral platform to coordinate responses and reaffirm baseline principles of noninterference and territorial integrity.

The Saudi Cabinet’s language — specifically its rejection of “parallel entities” — signals a firm line against attempts to formalize de facto arrangements that could fragment Somalia’s political landscape. By anchoring its position in the OIC’s deliberations, the Kingdom also ties its stance to a collective framework that has historically prioritized state sovereignty within the Islamic world.

With diplomatic messaging hardening in multiple capitals, attention now turns to whether further statements or measures from regional blocs and international partners will follow. For now, Saudi Arabia’s move, paired with Egypt’s, amplifies a clear signal: efforts to alter Somalia’s borders without its consent will meet resistance from key Arab and Islamic states committed to the country’s unity.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.