Erdogan described the move as illegal and unacceptable, and warned that it risks destabilising the Horn of Africa.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Istanbul on Tuesday, Erdogan accused Israel of attempting to draw the region into deeper instability. He reiterated Turkey’s support for Somalia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, which it considers to include Somaliland.
During the briefing, Erdogan also announced that Turkey plans to begin offshore energy drilling off the coast of Somalia in 2026 under a bilateral agreement between the two countries. He confirmed that Turkey would expand its drilling capacity by adding two new drilling vessels to its fleet.
In addition, Erdogan revealed plans for Turkey to establish a space port in Somalia as part of broader bilateral co-operation, although he did not provide further details on timelines or scope.
Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state on Friday. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but has not previously received international recognition.
Israel has defended the move at the UN, arguing that the recognition is not directed against Somalia. Addressing the UN Security Council on Monday, Israel’s Deputy UN Ambassador Jonathan Miller said the decision was not a hostile act and did not rule out future dialogue between the parties, describing recognition as an opportunity rather than an act of defiance.
However, several countries at the UN have questioned Israel’s motives, raising concerns that the recognition could be linked to efforts to relocate Palestinians from Gaza or to establish military bases in the region.
The Arab League has strongly rejected Israel’s decision. Its UN Ambassador, Maged Abdelfattah Abdelaziz, told the Security Council that the organisation opposes any measures arising from what it termed illegitimate recognition, particularly actions aimed at facilitating the forced displacement of Palestinians or exploiting northern Somali ports for military purposes.
–ReutersChannelAfrica–
