BRUSSELS — The European Union issued a sharp rebuke on Saturday following Israel’s decision to recognize the breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state, warning that the move threatens the fragile stability of the Horn of Africa.
The statement, released by the European Union External Action Service (EEAS), comes one day after Israel became the first United Nations member state to formally recognize Somaliland’s 34-year-old claim to sovereignty.
The EU reaffirmed its commitment to the established borders of the Federal Republic of Somalia, calling for adherence to international legal frameworks.
“The European Union reaffirms the importance of respecting the unity, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia pursuant of its constitution, the Charters of the African Union and the United Nations,” the EU spokesperson said in a statement.
Somaliland, located on the Gulf of Aden, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following a bloody civil war. While it has maintained its own government, currency, and security forces, it has lacked formal international recognition for decades. Israel’s decision on Dec. 26 to break that diplomatic status quo has sent shockwaves through the region.
EU officials expressed concern that unilateral recognition of the territory could undermine ongoing efforts to stabilize Somalia and combat regional extremism.
“This is key for the peace and stability of the entire Horn of Africa region,” the spokesperson added.
Rather than external recognition of the separatist entity, the EU called for internal diplomacy to address the roots of the divide. The bloc urged both the Federal Government of Somalia in Mogadishu and the authorities in Hargeisa to return to the negotiating table.
“The EU encourages meaningful dialogue between Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia to resolve long standing differences,” the statement concluded.
The diplomatic friction adds a new layer of complexity to the Horn of Africa, where Ethiopia’s recent interest in Somaliland’s coastline has already heightened tensions. The EU’s stance aligns it with the African Union and the United Nations, both of which have long maintained that the Somaliland issue must be resolved through a constitutional process within Somalia.
