By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday sharply rejected Israel’s decision to recognise the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent state, describing it as a brazen effort to erode Somalia’s sovereignty and a violation of international law that could destabilise the volatile Horn of Africa.
The move by Israel, announced on Friday, marked the first formal recognition of Somaliland by any nation since the region broke away from Somalia in 1991 amid civil war. Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, declared that his government would join the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered normalisation agreements between Israel and several Arab states.
Pakistan’s condemnation came swiftly in a statement from its Foreign Office, underscoring the deepening geopolitical tensions in the region and echoing broader Arab and Muslim world opposition to Israeli actions. “Pakistan strongly condemns any attempts to undermine the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia, and rejects, in this regard, the announcement made by Israel recognising the independence of the so-called Somaliland region of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” the statement said.
It went on to warn that “such illegal and provocative actions constitute a flagrant violation of international law and not only threaten the peace and stability of the brotherly country of Somalia, but also that of the entire region.”
The Foreign Office urged the international community to intervene, calling on nations to “prevent and deter Israel from undermining the ongoing efforts for peace and stability in the broader region.” Pakistan also reaffirmed its staunch backing for Somalia, stating the country “reiterates its complete support for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, as well as for all efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability in the country.”
The statement extended to the Palestinian cause, with Pakistan declaring its “unequivocal rejection” of any measures that could lead to the forced displacement of Palestinians. This appeared to reference concerns raised by the Palestinian foreign ministry, which posted on X earlier Saturday that Israel had “previously used the name Somaliland as a destination for the deportation of members of our Palestinian people, especially from the Gaza Strip.”
Pakistan closed by pledging its “unwavering support for the Palestinian people in their just struggle for self-determination and for a sovereign, independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.” The backlash against Israel’s recognition extended beyond Pakistan. Egypt, Turkiye, Djibouti and the African Union all issued condemnations, pledging their full commitment to Somalia’s territorial integrity.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate in the northwest of Somalia, has maintained de facto independence for more than three decades, building its own government, currency and security forces. Yet, no country had granted it formal recognition until Israel’s announcement, which analysts say could embolden other separatist movements and strain relations with Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu.
Somalia has long opposed Somaliland’s secession, viewing it as a threat to national unity. The decision by Israel, which has been expanding its diplomatic footprint in Africa, may also complicate efforts to mediate between the two sides, including talks brokered by Turkiye and others. Critics, including Pakistan, see it as part of a pattern of Israeli provocations, especially amid the ongoing Gaza conflict and stalled peace processes. The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020, have drawn in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, but Somaliland’s inclusion would represent a significant expansion.
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