Africa's Security Council Rebukes Israel on Somaliland Recognition

The African Union (AU) has drawn a direct line between sovereignty disputes in the Horn of Africa and wider regional stability, pairing its rejection of Somaliland’s recognition with a warning over foreign involvement in Sudan’s war.

Normative Order Versus Recognition

Meeting at ministerial level in Addis Ababa on Thursday, the AU Peace and Security Council said it “reiterates its strong condemnation and rejection of Israel's unilateral recognition of the so-called Republic of Somaliland” and demanded its reversal.

Israel became the sole country to recognize Somaliland in December last year, prompting a coordinated response across AU member states.

No actor has the authority or standing to alter the territorial configuration of an African Union Member State.

AU Peace and Security Council

The council added that such moves are “null and void” under international law, a reiteration of an already declared rejection of “any recognition of Somaliland.”

The dispute has generated unusual cohesion among regional governments, reflecting a core AU principle - territorial integrity.

For the AU, the Somaliland question seemingly highlights a structural constraint though: it has reiterated a normative rule but lacks operational enforcement mechanisms as its peace and security framework undergoes review.

Resistance from Somalia

Fr Somalia, Israel’s recognition was not merely a matter of external interference. They believe Israel wants to bring its troops into Somaliland along with its other projects. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had alleged Israel agreed with Somaliland on three pillars: relocating Palestinians to Somalia, establishing a base in Somaliland, and signing the Abraham Accord.

As such, Somalia earlier canceled all agreements with the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 12, citing sovereignty violations linked to Somaliland ties and unauthorized military activity. It’s widely believed in Somalia that the UAE is behind Israel being the first country to recognise Somaliland.

Economic Leverage And External Actors

Accordingly, Somaliland authorities said in the beginning of February that they expect to sign a trade partnership with Israel and may offer lithium access in exchange for technology and investment. President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi stated negotiations are ongoing and no agreement is final, according to a report by Reuters.

All in all, the AU framed these developments as external instrumentalisation of an unresolved political status when they said the recognition stemmed from an external actor and violated a “sacrosanct AU principle” of sovereignty and territorial integrity.