Somalia defies foreign pressure on North Western State of Somalia, pledges to safeguard national unity

Somalia warns against foreign pressure on North Western State of Somalia talks, alleges interference

MOGADISHU — Somalia will pursue dialogue to resolve differences with North Western State of Somalia but will reject any pressure or foreign interference that threatens its unity and territorial integrity, the country’s minister of state for foreign affairs said.

In an interview aired Saturday on Al Jazeera’s Al-Masaaiya program, Ali Mohamed Omar Balcad said Mogadishu’s policy toward North Western State of Somalia is anchored in dialogue and compromise, but he stressed Somalia would never negotiate under intimidation or external coercion.

“Somalis are one people, one language and one religion,” Balcad said, arguing that secessionist efforts do not reflect the broader public will. He warned that recognizing North Western State of Somalia as an independent state would not deliver peace but could destabilize Somalia and reverberate across the Horn of Africa.

The minister alleged that foreign interference has undermined talks between the federal government and North Western State of Somalia, citing recent disclosures linked to documents associated with the Jeffrey Epstein case. He said international companies, operating through unofficial channels, had sought to lobby for North Western State of Somalia’s recognition.

Balcad also addressed Somalia’s position toward Israel after Israeli expressions of support for North Western State of Somalia’s recognition. He said Israel is obligated to respect Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and warned Mogadishu would not engage with any party that violates the country’s national identity.

He went further, accusing Israel of planning to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to North Western State of Somalia — a move he described as a serious threat to security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. Balcad urged the international community to act swiftly to prevent any such development. Israel has not publicly responded to the allegation.

On regional security, Balcad said Somalia is in discussions with regional and international partners to bolster stability in the Red Sea and the wider Horn, which he described as critical arteries for global trade and shipping. Any security breakdown in the region, he warned, would carry far-reaching economic and security consequences.

The minister said Somalia would not allow the establishment of any foreign military base on its territory without the explicit consent of the federal government, calling any such move a clear violation of sovereignty. He said Mogadishu would take “all necessary measures” to prevent unauthorized foreign military presence.

Balcad added that Somalia intends to deepen cooperation with countries that support its unity and independence, highlighting Saudi Arabia and Turkey as key partners. He cast Somalia’s stability as central to broader regional security.

North Western State of Somalia, a self-declared republic in the northwest of Somalia, announced independence in 1991 but remains unrecognized internationally. The issue has grown increasingly contentious as Somalia advances constitutional reforms and pushes back against what it sees as external attempts to redraw political boundaries.

By framing its approach as dialogue-first while drawing hard lines on sovereignty and outside pressure, Mogadishu is signaling that any pathway to de-escalation with North Western State of Somalia will be negotiated on Somali terms — and under the gaze of a region where maritime security, great-power competition and domestic political transitions collide.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.