MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, found itself center stage in a diplomatic uproar following a proposal to establish an embassy in Jerusalem.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the decision to set up an embassy in Jerusalem despite international opposition.
The Saudi Arabia-based organization warned the move threatens the longstanding international consensus around Jerusalem’s disputed political and legal status.
Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state under United Nations resolutions.
The OIC described the proposed embassy as a dangerous political move, further inflaming already fragile regional diplomatic tensions.
Mohamed Hagi, Somaliland’s envoy to Israel, said authorities planned to establish an embassy in Jerusalem while expanding diplomatic cooperation with Israel.
“I am pleased to announce that the Republic of Somaliland’s embassy will be located in Jerusalem,” Hagi said.
“The embassy will be opened soon, while Israel will also establish its embassy in Hargeisa,” he said.
He described the planned diplomatic exchange as reflecting “growing friendship, mutual respect, and strategic cooperation” between Somaliland and Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar praised Somaliland’s embassy announcement in Jerusalem, calling it the eighth embassy and inviting President Abdirahman Irro to visit Jerusalem.
The organization argued Somaliland’s outreach strengthens Israeli efforts to consolidate claims over Jerusalem through partnerships with unrecognized political entities.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, although Somalia considers it a region within its internationally recognized sovereign territory.
The self-declared state still lacks formal recognition from the United Nations, African Union, and nearly every sovereign government worldwide.
The OIC reiterated that East Jerusalem remains occupied territory under international law, rejecting Israeli sovereignty claims over the eastern section captured in 1967.
The organization warned that altering Jerusalem’s political or geographic status threatens prospects for future peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Somaliland leaders have increasingly pursued foreign investment and international partnerships while lobbying governments to recognize their independence.
Meanwhile, Somalia’s federal government strongly opposes foreign engagement that treats Somaliland as an independent state separate from Mogadishu’s authority.
Somalia argues such diplomatic actions violate national sovereignty and undermine efforts to restore unity after decades of conflict and political fragmentation.
The OIC reaffirmed its support for Somalia’s federal government, emphasizing commitment to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The organization urged member states to reject measures that could legitimize Somaliland’s separatist ambitions outside internationally accepted legal frameworks for statehood recognition.
Analysts said Israel’s engagement with Somaliland reflects growing geopolitical competition over Red Sea trade routes and expanding Middle Eastern influence in the Horn region.