Somalia’s President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has warned that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland could have serious consequences beyond the Horn of Africa, including potential implications for Palestinians in Gaza.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera from Istanbul, Türkiye, on Tuesday, Mohamud described Israel’s decision as “unexpected and unusual,” noting that Somaliland has sought international recognition for more than three decades without success.
The Somali leader said his government has consistently pursued peaceful efforts to reunify the country, making Israel’s sudden move particularly surprising after 34 years of global non-recognition.
Last week, Israel became the first nation to officially recognise Somaliland, a self-declared breakaway region in northwestern Somalia located along the Gulf of Aden.
Mohamud further claimed that Somali intelligence reports indicate Somaliland agreed to certain conditions in exchange for Israeli recognition. These reportedly include the resettlement of Palestinians, the establishment of an Israeli military base along the Gulf of Aden coastline, and Somaliland’s participation in the Abraham Accords — agreements aimed at normalising relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.
According to the president, intelligence findings also suggest that Israeli presence in Somaliland predates the formal recognition, and that the announcement merely legitimised activities that had previously been carried out discreetly.
He alleged that Israel’s growing involvement in the region is driven by strategic interests rather than peace, warning that Palestinians could face forced displacement to Somalia.
Mohamud referenced a 20-point proposal released by the administration of former US President Donald Trump ahead of a Gaza ceasefire, which stated that no one would be compelled to leave the territory and that voluntary departures would not affect the right of return. Despite this, he claimed Israel continues to explore options for relocating Palestinians, including reported flights to South Africa.
The Somali president also accused Israel of seeking control over key maritime routes linking the Red Sea, the Gulf, and the Gulf of Aden, waterways critical to global trade and economic activity.
Mohamud made the remarks during a visit to Türkiye, where he held a joint press briefing with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Both leaders cautioned that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland could threaten stability across the Horn of Africa.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but had failed to secure recognition from any United Nations member state until Israel’s decision last Friday.
Israel’s move was swiftly criticised by several countries, with most members of the UN Security Council condemning the decision during an emergency meeting in New York on Monday. The United States was the sole council member to defend Israel’s action, while maintaining that its official position on Somaliland remains unchanged.
