The African Union Commission rejects any recognition of Somaliland as an Independent State.
The African Union Commission rejects recognition of Somaliland and reaffirms the African Union’s unwavering commitment to the unity and sovereignty of Somalia. This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recognized Somaliland as an independent state on Friday, December 27, 2025.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, reaffirms the longstanding and consistent position of the African Union, grounded in the principles enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the African Union, in particular the respect for the intangibility of borders inherited at independence as affirmed by the 1964 decision of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
The 1964 OAU Cairo Declaration is the most significant legal agreement in the history of African geopolitics. It established the “gold standard” for how African countries relate to their borders and to each other.
In 1964, African leaders met in Cairo just a few years after many countries had gained independence. They faced a terrifying choice; they had two options.
Option A: Redraw the map to fix the “artificial” borders created by European colonisers (which often split ethnic groups or joined rivals).
Option B: Accept the “imperfect” colonial borders to avoid endless civil and interstate wars.
They chose Option B. The Declaration stated that the borders of African States on the day of their independence constitute a “tangible reality” that must be respected by all member states.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs official statement on December 26, 2025, reaffirmed its unwavering support for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia. The Kingdom explicitly rejected the mutual recognition between Israel and the Somaliland region, labelling the move a violation of international law that promotes illegal secessionist measures. Furthermore, the statement emphasised Saudi Arabia’s opposition to any “parallel entities” that threaten Somalia’s stability and reiterated a commitment to supporting the country’s legitimate state institutions and its people.
Recognizing Somaliland is seen as a move that would further destabilize Somalia.