MOGADISHU, November 3, 2026 (WAFA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia condemned claims made by Israel regarding the accreditation of an ambassador in Hargeisa and the laying of a foundation stone for a so-called embassy on Somali territory.
The Ministry stated in a press release that these actions, taken without the approval of the Federal Government of Somalia, constitute a blatant violation of Somalia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity. It emphasized that Somalia rejects these measures, rendering them null, void, and of no legal effect.
The Ministry said that Hargeisa and the Somaliland region remain an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia, adding that the establishment of diplomatic relations and permanent diplomatic missions strictly requires the consent of the sovereign state, as stipulated by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
It stressed that no unilateral action can bypass this requirement or alter the legal status of Somali territories.
These steps come as an extension of the illegal Israeli recognition in December 2025, which was rejected by the African Union, IGAD, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The Ministry further noted that amid escalating insecurity in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, actions that encourage fragmentation and disregard internationally recognized borders threaten to deepen tensions in a region already suffering from fragility.
Somalia demanded that Israel immediately reverse these measures, calling on all countries and international organizations to reject them and refrain from any engagement that would grant them any legitimacy.
It asserted that the Federal Government reserves the right to take all appropriate diplomatic, political, and legal measures in accordance with international law to defend the country's sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.
The statement concluded by emphasizing that Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and that the unity of the Somali nation is non-negotiable.
T.R.
