NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 29 — The East African Community (EAC) has rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, reaffirming its commitment to the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia amid rising regional tensions.
In a statement issued by the EAC Secretariat in Arusha, the regional bloc aligned itself with the African Union’s foundational principles, stressing that Somalia’s borders, as inherited at independence, remain inviolable under the EAC Treaty framework.
The position follows Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland, a self-declared breakaway region yet to gain recognition by the African Union and the United Nations.
“The East African Community recognises the Federal Republic of Somalia as a single sovereign state under the authority of its government,” the EAC said, urging all stakeholders to respect established regional and international legal frameworks governing sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The EAC’s stance mirrors positions taken by other regional bodies.
On December 28, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) reaffirmed its support for Somalia’s sovereignty, dismissing unilateral recognitions as violations of the UN Charter, the AU Constitutive Act, and IGAD agreements.
“Unilateral recognitions undermine the collaborative objectives of regional and international organisations,” IGAD said, calling for strengthened institutional capacity and dialogue-based conflict resolution across the Horn of Africa.
Earlier, the African Union (AU) condemned attempts to recognise Somaliland, with AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf warning that such moves threaten peace and stability across the continent.
Somaliland’s leadership hailed Israel’s recognition, which includes plans for expanded cooperation in agriculture, health, and technology, as “a historic moment” and a step toward joining the Abraham Accords.
Somalia’s government, however, rejected the move outright. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre described it as “a deliberate attack on our sovereignty,” while foreign ministers from Somalia, Egypt, Turkey, and Djibouti jointly affirmed their total rejection of the decision.
