The East African Community (EAC) has issued a stern warning that Israel’s groundbreaking recognition of Somaliland as an independent sovereign state poses significant risks to stability throughout the Horn of Africa. In an official statement released Sunday from its Secretariat headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, the seven-nation regional bloc firmly rejected Israel’s diplomatic move and reaffirmed its unwavering support for Somalia’s territorial integrity.
The EAC, comprising Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, emphasized its recognition of Somalia as a unified sovereign state within its internationally established borders. The regional organization explicitly urged all parties to respect established international legal frameworks governing state sovereignty and territorial integrity.
This declaration aligns with the African Union’s consistent position on Somali unity. On Friday, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf expressed profound concern regarding recent developments surrounding Somaliland, reiterating the continental body’s unequivocal opposition to any initiatives recognizing the breakaway region’s sovereignty. Youssouf emphasized that Somaliland remains constitutionally part of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
These diplomatic responses came after Israel’s December 26 announcement that it had formally recognized Somaliland as an independent state—marking the first time any United Nations member nation has granted such recognition to the region that declared independence from Somalia in 1991. The EAC cautioned that such unilateral recognition moves could substantially complicate both political landscapes and security dynamics throughout the volatile region.