China has officially declared that it firmly opposes Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland as an “independent sovereign state” and its agreement to establish “diplomatic relations” with it.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced this at a regular press conference in Beijing on December 29, 2025, stating that China firmly supports Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and opposes any moves that undermine them.
China has noted that the federal government of Somalia immediately issued a statement firmly rejecting the move, and regional organisations including the African Union, the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development have also expressed strong dissatisfaction and condemnation, Lin said.
He added that the Somaliland issue is entirely an internal affair of Somalia and should be resolved by the Somali people in a manner consistent with their national conditions and constitution. He also highlighted that countries outside the region should cease inappropriate interference and no country should incite or support separatist forces within another nation for its own selfish interests.
“We urge the Somaliland authorities to recognise the situation and immediately cease separatist activities and collusion with external forces.”
China has consistently supported Somalia in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Later, on December 29, the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting in New York to discuss the situation at the request of Somalia, Algeria, Sierra Leone, and Guyana.
Addressing the session, Chinese Ambassador Sun Lei began by stating that China fully supported the four countries’ request, adding that Israel’s action had, “further increased the tensions in the Horn of Africa, drawing immediate and strong criticism and condemnations from regional organisations, including the AU [African Union], the Arab League, the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council], the OIC [Organisation of Islamic Cooperation], and IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development], as well as many regional countries. China also expresses grave concerns over this move and firmly opposes it.”
He went on to say that: “Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is a fundamental principle of the UN Charter and an unshakable cornerstone of international law and international relations, which all UN member states must strictly observe. Somaliland is an integral part of Somali territory. China firmly supports Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and opposes any act to split its territory. China has always maintained that the Somaliland issue is entirely Somalia’s internal affair. It should be resolved by the Somali people in a way consistent with the national conditions and the constitution… We urge the Somaliland authorities to grasp the situation, immediately stop separatist activities and collusion with external forces, and return to the track of dialogue with the federal government of Somalia as soon as possible to avoid further threatening regional peace and stability and opening the door to more tensions and conflicts.”
Concluding, Sun noted: “Somalia is at a critical juncture in its political and security transition. The international community should assist the country in strengthening counter-terrorism capabilities, advancing political dialogue, and promoting national unity. As a good friend of Somalia and regional countries, China will continue to firmly support Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, uphold fairness and justice, and together with the international community, work harder for peace, stability, development, and prosperity in Somalia and the wider region.”
As indicated in the above quoted Chinese remarks, the Israeli action, the first such formal move by any state, has drawn widespread repudiation and condemnation.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry affirmed its full support for the “unity and territorial integrity” of Somalia.
“The Kingdom expresses its rejection of the announcement of mutual recognition between the Israeli occupation authorities and the Somaliland region, considering it an action that entrenches unilateral secessionist measures that violate international law,” it stated.
Türkiye’s foreign ministry said the recognition was “yet another example of the Netanyahu government’s unlawful actions aimed at creating instability at both the regional and global levels”.
“This step by Israel, whose expansionist policies persist and which spares no effort to prevent the recognition of the State of Palestine, amounts to an explicit intervention in Somalia’s internal affairs,” it said.
Qatar said the development was a “dangerous precedent and unilateral action” which contravened the principles of international law and undermined the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Somalia.
“It would be more appropriate for the Israeli occupation authorities to recognise the State of Palestine… rather than continuing to undermine international legitimacy and pursue reckless policies that contribute to heightened tensions and instability in the region.”
Egypt’s foreign ministry said that Cairo also rejected “any plans to displace the Palestinian people outside their land, which are rejected by the vast majority of the world’s countries”. It has been widely reported that the US and Israel have previously raised with Somaliland the potential resettlement of forcibly displaced Palestinians from Gaza.
Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, Somalia’s Defence Minister, said that Mogadishu would “under no circumstances” accept Israel’s recognition of the northern region. “Any discussion of forcibly displacing the Palestinians or relocating them to [Somali] territory is completely unacceptable [and] violates their fundamental right to live on their own land,” he added.
The Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry also condemned the development. “This rejected recognition is considered part of Israel’s attempts, as a colonial power working to undermine international peace and security, particularly regional and Arab security, which insists on threatening the region,” it said.
It recalled 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”, adding a warning against “anyone’s alignment with these rejected propositions”.
The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas also criticised the Somaliland authorities, stating that they had attempted to gain “false legitimacy” from an occupying, war-criminal state. It rejected Israeli proposals to use Somaliland as a destination for forcibly displaced people from Gaza and praised Arab and Islamic countries that condemned the move.
The chairperson of the 55-member African Union (AU) expressed “deep concern” over the development. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf stressed the consistent position of the union regarding the integrity of borders inherited at independence, “as affirmed by the 1964 decision of the Organisation of African Unity [OAU, the predecessor of the AU]”.
In a statement released by Qatar’s foreign ministry, 21 Arab, Islamic, and African countries, including Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, the Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Türkiye , and Yemen, along with the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), expressed their rejection and condemnation of Israel’s decision to recognise Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state, warning that the move violates international law and threatens regional stability.
They condemned the move “in the strongest terms,” saying it violates “the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, which explicitly stipulates the imperative of protecting the sovereignty of states and their territorial integrity, and reflects Israel’s expansionist” stance.
The statement said it was a sign of Israel’s “full and blatant disregard to international law,” warning of its potential “serious repercussions … on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, [and] the Red Sea.”
They further reaffirmed their full support for Somalia’s sovereignty, expressing their “unequivocal rejection of any measures that undermine the unity of Somalia, its territorial integrity or its sovereignty over its entire territory”.
The statement also fully rejected “any potential link between such measure and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people out of their land, which is unequivocally rejected in any form as a matter of principle.”
Eritrea’s Ministry of Information, in a brief statement, called on China to take a lead on this issue in the UN Security Council, noting the analogy with the issue of Taiwan. The authorities in Taiwan and Somaliland have also been actively developing their mutual relations in the recent period and Taiwan’s so-called “foreign ministry” has welcomed the Israeli move, preposterously claiming that Taiwan, Israel, and Somaliland are “like-minded democratic partners sharing the values of democracy, freedom, and rule of law”.
The left-wing blogger Ricky Hale, on Council Estate Media, noted:
“Palestinians have made it loud and clear that they will not accept forced relocation to any place – they certainly aren’t going to accept being moved from one warzone to another.
“It seems everyone is opposed to this relocation idea apart from the coloniser countries. Isn’t it interesting how we flip from supporting territorial integrity in places like Ukraine to supporting breakaway provinces in places like Somaliland or Taiwan and supporting the annexation of land around Israel? It’s almost like we are drenched in hypocrisy.
“One fake country has created another fake country to dump the people it wants to remove from the only real country in the equation. Palestine does not get recognition, but the two fake countries – neither of which has existed for more than one human lifetime do. The irony gets bigger when you realise both Palestine and Somaliland are former British colonies.”
Meanwhile, the leader of Yemen’s Ansarallah movement (often referred to as the Houthis) has warned that any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be treated as a legitimate military target. In a written statement, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi described Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as a separate entity from Somalia as a hostile and illegitimate act, arguing that it threatens Somalia’s sovereignty as well as the security of neighbouring African states, Yemen, and countries bordering the Red Sea. Al-Houthi stressed that the move carries no legal or political weight, stating that recognition issued by an occupying power lacks legitimacy and cannot be considered valid under international law. He said the step reflects aggressive intentions and is aimed at expanding Israeli influence in the region. He added that Ansarallah would not allow any part of Somalia to become a foothold for Israel at the expense of the country’s independence, unity, and sovereignty.
The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency, the website of China’s Permanent Mission to the UN, Middle East Eye, Defend Democracy Press and Palestine Chronicle.
China denounces Israel’s recognition of Somaliland
BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) — China firmly opposes Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland as an “independent sovereign state” and its agreement to “establish diplomatic relations” with it, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Monday.
Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular news briefing, stating that China firmly supports Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and opposes any moves that undermine Somali territorial integrity.
China has noticed the federal government of Somalia immediately issued a statement firmly rejecting the move, and regional organizations including the African Union, the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development have also expressed strong dissatisfaction and condemnation, Lin said.
He said according to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and international laws, Somaliland is an integral part of the Somali territory.
Lin said the Somaliland issue is entirely an internal affair of Somalia and should be resolved by the Somali people in a manner consistent with their national conditions and constitution. He also highlighted that countries outside the region should cease inappropriate interference and no country should incite or support separatist forces within another nation for its own selfish interests.
“We urge the Somaliland authorities to recognize the situation, and immediately cease separatist activities and collusion with external forces,” he said.
Remarks on Somalia by Ambassador Sun Lei at the UN Security Council Emergency Meeting
December 29 (China UN Mission) – President,
I thank you for convening this meeting. China fully supports the request by Somalia, Algeria, Sierra Leone, and Guyana for an emergency Council meeting. I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari for his briefing.
On December 26, Israel announced its formal recognition of Somaliland as a so-called “independent sovereign state”, and established full diplomatic relations with it. This has further increased the tensions in the Horn of Africa, drawing immediate and strong criticism and condemnations from regional organizations, including the AU, the Arab League, the GCC, the OIC, and IGAD, as well as many regional countries. China also expresses grave concerns over this move, and firmly opposes it.
Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is a fundamental principle of the UN Charter and an unshakable cornerstone of international law and international relations, which all UN member states must strictly observe. Somaliland is an integral part of Somali territory. China firmly supports Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and opposes any act to split its territory. China has always maintained that the Somaliland issue is entirely Somalia’s internal affairs. It should be resolved by the Somali people in a way consistent with the national conditions and the Constitution. Countries outside the region should cease unwarranted interference. No country should aid and abet separatist forces in other countries to further their own geopolitical interests. We urge the relevant country to act responsibly, strictly observe the UN Charter and international law, heed the call of the international community, immediately rectify its erroneous act, and eliminate the negative effects as soon as possible. We urge the Somaliland authorities to grasp the situation, immediately, stop separatist activities and collusion with external forces, and return to the track of dialogue with the federal government of Somalia as soon as possible to avoid further threatening regional peace and stability and opening the door to more tensions and conflicts.
President,
Somalia is at a critical juncture in its political and security transition. The international community should assist the country in strengthening counter-terrorism capabilities, advancing political dialogue, and promoting national unity. As a good friend of Somalia and regional countries, China will continue to firmly support Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, uphold fairness and justice, and together with international community, work harder for peace, stability, development, and prosperity in Somalia and the wider region.
Thank you, President.
Somaliland: How Trump, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and others reacted to Israeli recognition
December 27 (Middle East Eye) – Israel‘s decision to become the first country to recognise the breakaway region of Somaliland has been condemned by a string of countries, while the US president said he was not ready to immediately follow in Israel’s footsteps.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, announced on Friday that he had signed a mutual declaration to recognise Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
Somaliland has been part of the unified Somali Republic since 1960, but declared its independence in 1991 and established a de facto state.
Although it has had unofficial diplomatic relations with several countries, its sovereignty had not been recognised by any permanent UN member state until this week.
US President Donald Trump told the New York Post that the US was looking into the issue.
“Everything is under study… we’ll study it. I study a lot of things and always make great decisions and they turn out to be correct,” Trump said.
“Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?” he asked.
Asked about an alleged proposal by Somaliland to provide Washington with access to a strategic port on the Gulf of Aden, Trump dismissively replied: “Big deal.”
Saudi Arabia‘s foreign ministry affirmed its full support for the “unity and territorial integrity” of Somalia.
“The Kingdom expresses its rejection of the announcement of mutual recognition between the Israeli occupation authorities and the Somaliland region, considering it an action that entrenches unilateral secessionist measures that violate international law,” it stated.
It added that Riyadh rejected attempts to impose “parallel entities” that undermine Somalia’s unity, and said it supported the “legitimate institutions of the Somali state”.
Turkey‘s foreign ministry said the recognition was “yet another example of the Netanyahu government’s unlawful actions aimed at creating instability at both the regional and global levels”.
“This step by Israel, whose expansionist policies persist and which spares no effort to prevent the recognition of the State of Palestine, amounts to an explicit intervention in Somalia’s internal affairs,” it said.
On Saturday, Qatar‘s foreign ministry added its name to the list of countries to reject the recognition.
Doha said the development was a “dangerous precedent and unilateral action” which contravened the principles of international law and undermined the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Somalia.
“It would be more appropriate for the Israeli occupation authorities to recognise the State of Palestine… rather than continuing to undermine international legitimacy and pursue reckless policies that contribute to heightened tensions and instability in the region.”
Sudan also expressed “strong condemnation of the Israeli occupier’s recognition of the Somali region of Somaliland, which violates international covenants”.
Fear of Palestinian displacement to Somaliland
Badr Abdelatty, Egypt‘s foreign minister, held a phone call on Friday with his counterparts in Somalia, Turkey and Djibouti, following the announcement.
Egypt’s foreign ministry said that the ministers of all four countries rejected and condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.
It said that Cairo also rejected “any plans to displace the Palestinian people outside their land, which are rejected by the vast majority of the world’s countries”.
Earlier this year, several media outlets reported that the US and Israel had contacted Somaliland over the potential resettlement of forcibly displaced Palestinians from Gaza.
Somaliland’s foreign minister denied the reports, stating: “I haven’t received such a proposal, and there are no talks with anyone regarding Palestinians.”
The discussions risked tensions and anger among Somalilanders, analysts and locals previously told Middle East Eye.
It’s not yet clear if the mutual declaration between Somaliland and Israel this week involved any discussions about forcibly displacing Palestinians.
Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, Somalia’s defence minister, said that Mogadishu would “under no circumstances” accept Israel’s recognition of the northern region.
“Any discussion of forcibly displacing the Palestinians or relocating them to [Somali] territory is completely unacceptable [and] violates their fundamental right to live on their own land,” he added.
“Those involved, including the leaders of Somaliland, bear full responsibility for their heinous actions.”
The Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry also condemned the development.
“This rejected recognition is considered part of Israel’s attempts, as a colonial power working to undermine international peace and security, particularly regional and Arab security, which insists on threatening the region,” it said.
It recalled 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”, adding a warning against “anyone’s alignment with these rejected propositions”.
Hamas also criticised Somaliland’s government, stating that it had attempted to gain “false legitimacy” from what it described as an occupying, war-criminal state.
It rejected Israeli proposals to use Somaliland as a destination for forcibly displaced people from Gaza, and praised Arab and Islamic countries that condemned the move.
Netanyahu said the declaration on Friday was “in the spirit” of the Abraham Accords, the normalisation agreements signed between Israel and several Arab states in 2020.
He extended an invitation to Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, Somaliland’s president, for an official visit to Israel – an invite which Abdullahi said he would take up “as soon as possible”.
African Union rejects recognition
The chairperson of the African Union, a union of 55 member states within the continent, expressed “deep concern” over the development.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf stressed the consistent position of the union over the “intangibility of borders inherited at independence, as affirmed by the 1964 decision of the Organization of African Unity”.
Cameron Hudson, a consultant on security and geopolitics in Africa, and former CIA analyst, told MEE that while a few countries may follow Israel’s lead, there would be pushback from African countries.
“Countries that don’t want to endanger their relationships with the African Union, other African countries or other Arab states rejecting this recognition, will be hesitant to advance any diplomatic relationship with Somaliland,” Hudson said.
“This is a very divisive and selfish move by the Israelis to advance their own interests, without providing broader recognition of the interests of other African or regional states who will see this as unsettling and even threatening.”
There were a few figures who welcomed the move.
Tarekegn Bululta Godana, an Ethiopian state minister for industry, wrote on X: “A notable diplomatic move that could shape the future trajectory of the Horn of Africa. Regional impacts will be important to follow. Good News for @Somaalilanders.”
In the UK, Nigel Farage, the right-wing leader of Reform – who has advocated for Somaliland for several years – welcomed the move. “Somaliland deserves this status,” he said on X.
The UAE – which has long maintained close relations with Somaliland and is thought to be a key advocate for Hargeisa’s recognition on the international stage – did not immediately react to Israel’s declaration.
MEE reported in October that Somaliland’s Berbera port was part of a network of bases along the Gulf of Aden built by the UAE.
Later on Saturday, a statement condemning the recognition was signed jointly by Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, the Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey, Yemen, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Notably, the foreign ministry of the UAE, which is part of the 57-member OIC, was not one of the individual signatories of the statement.
21 Arab, Islamic, African countries condemn, reject Israeli recognition of Somaliland
December 28 (Defend Democracy Press) – Representatives of 21 Arab, Islamic, and African countries on Friday expressed their rejection and condemnation of Israel’s decision to recognize Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state, warning that the move violates international law and threatens regional stability.
A statement from the foreign ministers of the countries, released by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, said Israel’s decision constituted a “serious precedent” that threatens “international peace and security.”
In a joint statement, the countries condemned the move “in the strongest terms,” saying it violates “the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, which explicitly stipulates the imperative of protecting the sovereignty of states and their territorial integrity, and reflects Israel’s expansionist” stance.
The statement said it was a sign of Israel’s “full and blatant disregard to international law,” warning of its potential “serious repercussions … on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea.”
The countries also reaffirmed their full support for Somalia’s sovereignty, expressing their “unequivocal rejection of any measures that undermine the unity of Somalia, its territorial integrity or its sovereignty over its entire territory.”
They fully rejected “any potential link between such measure and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people out of their land, which is unequivocally rejected in any form as a matter of principle.”
Israel became the world’s first country on Friday to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state, sparking an international chorus of rejection of the move by numerous countries in Africa and the Middle East, including Türkiye, which was also part of Saturday’s statement released by Qatar.
Somaliland, which has lacked official recognition since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, operates as a de facto independent administrative, political, and security entity, with the central government unable to assert control over the region and its leadership unable to secure international recognition of independence.
The Somali government refuses to recognize Somaliland as an independent state, considers it an integral part of its territory, and views any direct deals or engagement with it as a violation of the country’s sovereignty and unity.
Ansarallah Pledges Action Against Any Israeli Presence in Somaliland
December 29 (Palestine Chronicle) – The leader of Yemen’s Ansarallah movement warned on Sunday that any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be treated as a legitimate military target.
In a written statement, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi described Israel’s reported recognition of Somaliland as a separate entity from Somalia as a hostile and illegitimate act, arguing that it threatens Somalia’s sovereignty as well as the security of neighboring African states, Yemen, and countries bordering the Red Sea.
Al-Houthi stressed that the move carries no legal or political weight, stating that recognition issued by an occupying power lacks legitimacy and cannot be considered valid under international law. He said the step reflects aggressive intentions and is aimed at expanding Israeli influence in the region.
According to the statement, Israel seeks to transform Somaliland into a base for hostile activities targeting Somalia, surrounding African nations, Yemen, and the wider Arab world.
Al-Houthi warned that such a development would pose a serious threat to security in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Reaffirming his unwavering support for the Somali people, al-Houthi said Ansarallah would take all necessary measures to stand with them, including treating any Israeli presence in Somaliland as a military target. He described such a presence as an attack on both Somalia and Yemen and a direct threat to regional stability.
He added that Ansarallah would not allow any part of Somalia to become a foothold for Israel at the expense of the country’s independence, unity, and sovereignty.
Al-Houthi also called on states bordering the Red Sea, as well as countries across the Arab and Islamic world, to take concrete steps to prevent Israel from violating the sovereignty of Somalia and other independent nations.
Ansarallah has, over the past two years, launched missile and drone operations against Israel in response to Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, including operations targeting Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea.
Israel, in turn, has carried out repeated airstrikes on Yemen, particularly in areas under Ansarallah control, including the capital Sanaa, causing widespread destruction and killing several senior figures.
