The development marks a notable turn in Somalia’s political and security landscape, with it is part of a broader strategy to fragment Islamic countries and neutralize key states through encirclement.
By doing so, Israel is not only dividing Somalia, a country that is 100% Muslim, and risking an internal war with Sudan-like mass atrocities, but also gaining access to the critically strategic Port of Berbera at the exit of the Red Sea, in the Gulf of Aden. This move effectively encircles Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the two major powers of the Red Sea, as well as Türkiye, which has a highly strategic base in Somalia that is vital for our Africa policy.
That such a development is taking place while the genocide in Gaza continues is nothing short of a humiliation for the Islamic world. The failure to foresee and act against this development is an unacceptable negligence.
In 2012–2013, when some Western countries attempted to divide Somalia by recognizing Somaliland’s independence, we acted decisively. We brought together Somali Federal President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo in Ankara on April 11–13, 2013, and through a trilateral mechanism and a joint declaration, we blocked this plan.
I urgently call on the President and the government to take the following steps: 1. Establish direct contact with the presidents of Somalia and Somaliland and invite them to Türkiye for face-to-face talks.
The issue is likely to carry broader political weight as Somalia navigates federal power-sharing, regional competition and the search for stronger public institutions.
