African regional bodies reject recognition of Somaliland by Israel

Israel became the first country to formally recognize the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state on Friday.

Africa's regional governance bodies on Saturday rejected the recognition of Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent nation by Israel a day earlier, the first by any country in more than 30 years.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 amid a descent into conflict and, despite having its own government and currency, had never been recognized by any nation in the world until Friday.

The African Union Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, said any attempt to undermine Somalia's sovereignty risks peace and stability on the continent.

He said that the commission "firmly rejects any initiative or action aimed at recognizing Somaliland as an independent entity, recalling that Somaliland remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia."

Somalia's federal government on Friday strongly rejected what it described as an unlawful move by Israel to recognize Somaliland, reaffirming that the northern region remains an integral part of Somalia's sovereign territory.