The European Union (EU) has become the latest international actor to reaffirm its support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia, aligning itself with similar positions recently reiterated by the African Union.
In a statement issued late Saturday, the EU said it “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,” underscoring that this principle is “key for the peace and stability of the entire Horn of Africa region.”
The bloc also urged political engagement between Mogadishu and Hargeisa, encouraging “meaningful dialogue between Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia to resolve long standing differences,” according to the statement.
The EU’s position comes amid renewed regional and international attention to the status of Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not been recognized by any state or multilateral organization. While Somaliland has maintained its own administration and stability for more than three decades, the Federal Government of Somalia continues to assert its sovereignty over the territory.
The statement comes following Israel’s announcement on Friday that it would officially recognize Somaliland as an independent state, a move that has triggered a wave of diplomatic reactions.
The EU’s position mirrors the African Union’s stance, reiterated on Friday by AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, who rejected any recognition of Somaliland and reaffirmed the AU’s “unwavering commitment to the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia,” citing the principle of respect for borders inherited at independence.
Earlier, Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia had also issued similar statements affirming Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity, reflecting a growing convergence among regional and international actors around support for Mogadishu’s position.
Source: AS
