Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated his government’s opposition to a potential Israeli military base in the breakaway region of Somaliland and commented on Israel’s reported diplomatic engagement with the territory. The president’s remarks were made during an interview with Al Jazeera that was broadcast on Saturday.
The comments follow reports of diplomatic discussions between Israel and Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia. In the interview, Mohamud said Somalia “will never allow” the establishment of an Israeli base and that his country would “confront” such a development.
“We will fight in our capacity. Of course, we will defend ourselves,” Mohamud told the news outlet. He described the reported diplomatic outreach as a “reckless, fundamentally wrong and illegal action under international law.”
In January, Israel’s Channel 12 television network reported that a Somaliland official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said an Israeli military base is “on the table and being discussed.” This report came after The Associated Press published an article stating Israeli officials had contacted parties in Somaliland regarding the potential displacement of Palestinians from Gaza to the territory. According to Al Jazeera, both Israeli and Somaliland officials have denied the claims made in the AP report.
Somaliland’s leader, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, has publicly welcomed diplomatic engagement with Israel. He praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his reported “leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace” in the region.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after a civil war. It has since established its own government, currency, and security forces. However, it has not gained formal recognition as a sovereign state from any country or major international body.
During the Al Jazeera interview, President Mohamud said the developments involving Israel and Somaliland “undermine stability, security and trade in a way that affects the whole of Africa, the Red Sea and the wider world.”
He also commented on the state of global governance, stating, “Key among the global concerns is the weakening of the established rules-based international order. That order is not intact any more.”
The United States has not announced a change in its policy regarding Somaliland. The U.S. government maintains its recognition of the federal government of Somalia and its sovereignty over the region.
