Israel became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent state on Friday, drawing strong condemnation from Somalia and regional and international organisations.
Somalia’s federal government described the decision as "unlawful" and a "deliberate attack" on the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It said Somaliland remained "an integral, inseparable and inalienable part of Somalia" and pledged to pursue diplomatic, political and legal measures to defend its internationally recognised borders.
The Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council also criticised the move.
Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit called the recognition "a clear violation of international law" and an infringement of the principle of state sovereignty.
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi warned it could destabilise the Horn of Africa, describing the decision as a grave breach of Somalia’s sovereignty.
The African Union reaffirmed its commitment to Somalia’s territorial integrity, cautioning that recognising breakaway regions risked undermining peace and stability across the continent.
Announcing the decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would pursue immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology and the economy.
He congratulated Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi on his leadership and invited him to visit Israel.
Netanyahu said the recognition was "in the spirit of the Abraham Accords", signed during Donald Trump’s first administration, which normalised Israel’s relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
An Israeli statement said Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Abdullahi signed a joint declaration of mutual recognition.
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi welcomed Israel’s decision, saying it opened the door to cooperation in sectors including agriculture, health and technology.
Somaliland, a self-declared republic in northern Somalia, has operated with de facto autonomy since declaring independence in 1991 but has not previously received international recognition. Somalia’s federal government considers the region an integral part of its territory.
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In a sweeping diplomatic push in Baku, Georgia and Azerbaijan have signed a landmark package of energy and transport agreements, cementing a partnership set to shape the South Caucasus corridor for decades to come.
The first-ever “WUF13 NGO Forum” in the history of the World Urban Forum (WUF) was held on 19 May 2026 at Azerbaijan’s initiative in Baku.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for closer security coordination between Central Asia and China, warning that expanding trade and infrastructure links are exposing the region to increasingly sophisticated cross-border threats.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), warning that the situation poses a significant risk of cross-border spread in Central Africa.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
Estonia said on Tuesday (19 May) that a NATO fighter jet shot down a suspected Ukrainian drone over its territory, in the latest reported airspace violation in the region amid ongoing Ukrainian strikes against Russia.
Sweden has agreed to buy four naval frigates from France’s Naval Group in a deal worth more than $4 billion, as Stockholm moves to strengthen its defence capabilities in the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday.
Spanish police said on Tuesday they had detained a 25-year-old man suspected of killing his two parents and injuring four other people, including his son, in a shooting in the southern city of El Ejido in Almeria province overnight.
European Union negotiators are expected to agree on Tuesday (19 May) on legislation removing import duties on U.S. industrial goods, in a move aimed at implementing last year’s trade agreement with the United States and avoiding higher tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.
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