Arab League Council condemns Israel’s recognition of Somaliland

The Council of the League of Arab States has strongly condemned Israel’s recognition of the Somaliland region on December 26, in a session chaired by the UAE in Cairo on Sunday.

Under the chairmanship of Ambassador Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the League of Arab States, the council expressed solidarity with Somalia in the face of an assault on its sovereignty and territorial unity.

The council affirmed its complete rejection of this invalid measure and its resulting political and security repercussions, stressing that region is an integral part of Somalia, in accordance with the Charter of the League of Arab States and the Charter of the United Nations.

It also stated that the illegal Israeli recognition constitutes an attack on Arab national security and an attempt to undermine regional and international security and peace.

The Arab League called for legal, political and diplomatic measures to confront it, reiterating its full support for the security, stability, unity and sovereignty of Somalia, the integrity of its territory, and its right to self-defence in line with international legitimacy.

It warned of the repercussions of this step on the stability in the Red Sea region, the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa, while also rejecting any attempts to displace the Palestinian people or to use Somali territory as a platform for implementing aggressive plans.

The council called on the international community and international and regional organisations to refrain from any official or semi-official engagement with the authorities of the region outside the framework of Somali sovereignty.

It also tasked the General Secretariat with coordinating with the Somali government, the African Union and the United Nations to develop mechanisms to preserve security and stability in the region, and to submit a report on these developments to the Council at its next ministerial session.