CAIRO – Ten countries including Egypt jointly condemned Israel’s appointment of an envoy to the breakaway Somaliland region as a “flagrant violation” of Somalia’s sovereignty.

The foreign ministers of Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Bangladesh, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Türkiye, and Indonesia issued a joint statement on Saturday to denounce the move.

They expressed their “unequivocal rejection of all unilateral measures that undermine the unity of states or infringe upon their sovereignty.”

The ministers warned that the Israeli appointment of a diplomatic representative to the so-called Somaliland represents “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity” of Somalia.

The statement underscored the ten countries’ “unwavering support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia, as well as for its legitimate state institutions, being the sole representative of the will of the Somali people.”

These measures, the ministers emphasized, constitute a blatant violation of the principles of international law, the United Nation’s Charter, and the Constitutive Act of the African Union.

They warned that such actions also “set a dangerous precedent that risks undermining stability in the Horn of Africa, which reflects negatively on regional peace and security as a whole.”

Israel on Wednesday appointed its first ambassador to self-declared Somaliland, months after it had unilaterally recognized the breakaway region of Somalia as an independent state despite widespread condemnation.

Former Israeli Ambassador to Kenya Michael Lotem will assume the post as a non-resident envoy, according to Israel’s foreign ministry.

The League of Arab States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation strongly condemned the appointment as a blatant violation of Somalia’s sovereignty.

Israel in December became the first country to formally recognise self-declared Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, dismissing Somalia’s longstanding rejection of secession.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the central government but has not been internationally recognised and is considered by Mogadishu and the international community as part of Somalia.

Source: Egypt today