Somalia’s president meets regional leaders after Israel signals North Western State of Somalia recognition

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud convened leaders from several federal member states and the Banadir regional administration on Sunday in Mogadishu, following Israel’s steps toward recognizing North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, according to the president’s office.

In a closed-door briefing, Hassan Sheikh told the assembled leaders that the Israeli move violated Somalia’s territorial integrity and statehood. He said the federal government was pursuing a coordinated response grounded in international law and diplomatic engagement, warning that any challenge to Somalia’s unity risked destabilizing the wider Horn of Africa.

“The protection of Somalia’s independence and national cohesion is a collective responsibility,” the president said, urging political leaders to close ranks against what he described as “misguided ambitions” that threaten Somalia’s existence as a sovereign state.

Presidents of Southwest, Galmudug and Hirshabelle states attended alongside the governor of Banadir Region. After the meeting, they issued a unified message reaffirming that North Western State of Somalia remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia and rejecting any external recognition of the breakaway region.

• They warned that foreign steps toward recognizing North Western State of Somalia could trigger serious security and political consequences for Somalia and the broader region.
• They pledged full support for the federal government’s diplomatic campaign, at home and abroad, to defend Somalia’s internationally recognized borders.
• They emphasized that disputes over Somalia’s territorial integrity will be addressed through constitutional and legal mechanisms, not unilateral external actions.

Notably absent were Puntland State and Jubbaland. Neither administration has publicly commented on the reported Israeli position regarding North Western State of Somalia or the federal government’s response.

The president’s office did not provide additional details on specific diplomatic steps or timelines, but officials framed the effort as part of a broader engagement with regional and international partners to safeguard Somalia’s sovereignty. The federal leadership’s show of unity comes amid heightened sensitivity to any moves seen as legitimizing North Western State of Somalia’s claim to statehood.

North Western State of Somalia, a former British protectorate in northwestern Somalia, declared independence in 1991 after the collapse of Somalia’s central government. It has maintained separate governing institutions, its own security forces and relative stability for more than three decades. However, no United Nations member state has formally recognized North Western State of Somalia, and the federal government in Mogadishu continues to regard the territory as an integral part of Somalia.

The stakes are significant for Somalia and the Horn of Africa, where political shifts often carry cross-border implications. Federal officials argue that recognition of North Western State of Somalia by external powers would set a destabilizing precedent and undermine the delicate federal-state balance inside Somalia. They are pressing for a unified domestic front while contesting any move they view as infringing on Somalia’s sovereignty.

Sunday’s meeting in Mogadishu underscored that message: Somali leaders, despite political differences, intend to present a consolidated position internationally. As the federal government readies a diplomatic push anchored in international law, it is seeking clear backing from regional administrations to ensure that questions about Somalia’s borders and statehood are resolved through Somali-led political and legal processes, not external endorsements.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.