Somali

Somalia’s president warns Israel against North Western State of Somalia presence, says recognition risks importing conflict to Horn of Africa Published Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned that Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia and any effort to establish a foothold in the breakaway region would risk dragging the Horn of Africa into broader Middle East hostilities. “We have never attacked Israel. We never have created problem to Israel. We don’t want Israel to come to us…

ISTANBUL — Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned that Israel’s unexpected recognition of North Western State of Somalia risks destabilizing the Horn of Africa and could be tied to attempts to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, escalating tensions across a strategic maritime corridor linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In an interview with Al Jazeera on Tuesday from Istanbul, where he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mohamud said Israel’s move was “not merely a diplomatic gesture but a cover for…

Somalia’s President to Visit Saudi Arabia Amid Shifting Alliances MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is expected to make an official visit to Saudi Arabia later this week, officials said, a trip aimed at consolidating ties with Riyadh as Mogadishu recalibrates its regional alliances across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. Somali officials said the agenda will center on strengthening bilateral relations, regional cooperation and security coordination, with both governments looking to formalize a…

OP-ED: Why the Somali Diaspora Should Keep Faith in Somalia’s Future Across continents, the Somali diaspora carries a lingering question: Is now the time to lean in or bow out? The answer, grounded in what is happening on the ground, is clear. This is a moment to keep faith in Somalia’s future—and to help shape it. The obstacles are formidable and measurable. Overall unemployment hovers around 20 percent, while youth unemployment exceeds 30 percent. Nearly 70 percent of Somalis live below the international poverty line.…

Somalia staged one of its largest nationwide demonstrations in years on Tuesday as tens of thousands rallied against Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, a move that Mogadishu and more than 20 other countries condemned as an assault on Somalia’s sovereignty. The protests came as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Turkey for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan aimed at shoring up diplomatic support. Mass gatherings were reported in Mogadishu, Baidoa, Guriel, Dhusamareeb, Lasanod and Buhoodle,…

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned that Israel’s decision to recognize North Western State of Somalia could destabilize the Horn of Africa and carry implications for Palestinians in Gaza, calling the move “unexpected and strange” after three decades of nonrecognition by any country. In an interview with Al Jazeera from Istanbul, Türkiye, on Tuesday, Mohamud said Somali intelligence indicates North Western State of Somalia agreed to three Israeli conditions in exchange for recognition: accepting the resettlement of…

Somali cities erupt in protests after Israel recognizes North Western State of Somalia MOGADISHU — Large-scale demonstrations swept across Somalia on Tuesday after Israel announced it would recognize North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, a move widely condemned by Somalis as a threat to the country’s unity and territorial integrity. Protesters gathered in the capital and regional hubs, chanting against what they called a bid to divide the nation and pledging to defend Somalia’s sovereignty. Rallies were…

ISTANBUL — Somalia and Türkiye moved to deepen their energy partnership with high-level talks in Istanbul on Monday, as the countries reviewed ongoing hydrocarbon exploration and mapped operational plans ahead of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s upcoming visit to Türkiye. Somali Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Dahir Shire Mohamed met with Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar to assess the status of joint exploration work in Somalia’s onshore and offshore basins and…

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will travel to Ankara on Tuesday to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a high-stakes visit that comes days after Israel said it would recognize North Western State of Somalia and as Turkey and Somalia weigh the next steps in offshore energy exploration. Two people familiar with the plans said Erdogan is expected to address Israel’s unilateral move during talks with Mohamud. The Somali leader also plans to brief Ankara on a seismic survey completed in October off Somalia’s…

Is North Western State of Somalia’s Recognition the Issue, or Has Somali Leadership Already Failed? North Western State of Somalia’s recognition debate has become a convenient flashpoint for Somali politics, but the harder truth is internal: For more than three decades, successive leaders in Mogadishu have failed to prioritize a consent-based national settlement. North Western State of Somalia declared separation in 1991. Thirty-four years on, the central questions are less about external recognition and more about whether…