Somalia Condemns Somaliland Move to Open Mission in Jerusalem

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: The federal government of Somalia has condemned plans by the breakaway Somaliland region to inaugurate what it described as a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, calling the move illegal and a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a statement, the government said it “categorically rejects any unilateral actions” that undermine the legal and political status of the Somali state or contravene international legitimacy and resolutions adopted by regional and international bodies.

Mogadishu said the planned opening of a so-called embassy by Somaliland authorities in Jerusalem was “null and void” and would carry no legal standing.

The federal government also described the move as “an unacceptable provocation to the Arab and Islamic worlds,” reaffirming Somalia’s support for the Palestinian cause and its longstanding position on the status of Jerusalem.

Somaliland, a northern region that declared independence from Somalia, is not internationally recognized despite maintaining its own government, security forces and institutions.

The latest dispute comes amid heightened tensions between Mogadishu and Somaliland over foreign relations and sovereignty issues, following Somaliland’s growing diplomatic outreach in recent years.

Somalia has opposed any international engagement that treats Somaliland as an independent state, arguing that such actions undermine the country’s unity and internationally recognized borders.