EAC backs Somalia in rebuke of Israel’s Somaliland recognition

ARUSHA – The East African Community (EAC) has firmly backed Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, pushing back against reports that Israel has recognised Somaliland as an independent state, a move that has stirred regional unease and diplomatic debate across the Horn of Africa.

In a statement issued from its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, on Monday, the regional bloc reaffirmed that Somalia remains one united and sovereign country, fully recognised within its internationally accepted borders as inherited at independence. The EAC stressed that it recognises only the Federal Republic of Somalia under the authority of its federal government in Mogadishu.

“The East African Community calls for respect for the unity and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” the statement said, underscoring the bloc’s adherence to established African and international legal frameworks.

The EAC emphasized that its position is anchored in the African Union’s Constitutive Act, which upholds the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of African states and rejects unconstitutional changes to borders. It added that any actions affecting the sovereignty or borders of a member state must strictly follow regional and international law.

The statement comes amid heightened regional concern following reports that Israel has officially recognized Somaliland, a self-declared entity that broke away from Somalia in 1991 after the collapse of the central government.

Despite maintaining its own administration and relative stability for more than three decades, Somaliland remains unrecognized by the African Union, the United Nations, and the vast majority of the international community.

Somalia has strongly rejected any foreign recognition of Somaliland, arguing that such moves undermine its sovereignty, violate international law, and threaten regional stability. Mogadishu has warned that unilateral recognition of breakaway regions could set a dangerous precedent across Africa.

While the EAC statement did not explicitly name Israel, it urged all external and regional actors to exercise restraint and act responsibly.

“Any action affecting sovereignty and borders must follow regional and international law,” the bloc noted, in what was widely interpreted as a rebuke of Israel’s reported move.

Somalia, which formally joined the EAC in 2023, is seen as a strategic member whose stability is critical to peace, security, and economic integration in East Africa. The bloc reaffirmed its commitment to standing with Somalia and working collectively to promote regional peace, cooperation, and respect for international norms.

The EAC’s position aligns with long-standing African Union policy, which has consistently supported Somalia’s territorial unity and opposed recognition of Somaliland as an independent state.