Dar es Salaam. Somalia’s ambassador to Tanzania and permanent representative to the East African Community (EAC) has welcomed the bloc’s move to reaffirm Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying the statement sends a strong signal against unilateral actions that threaten regional stability.
The remarks follow a statement issued by the EAC Secretariat in Arusha on Sunday, in which the regional bloc said it “recognises the Federal Republic of Somalia as a single sovereign state under the authority of the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia” and urged all parties to act within established regional and international legal frameworks on sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The EAC intervention comes amid heightened tensions in the Horn of Africa after Israel became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent state. The move has been condemned by Somalia’s federal government and a growing number of regional and international partners as unlawful and destabilising.
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 following the collapse of Somalia’s central government and the outbreak of civil war.
Although it has since operated with its own institutions and enjoyed relative stability, it has not been recognised as a sovereign state by the African Union or the United Nations, and most countries continue to regard it as part of Somalia.
Commenting on the EAC’s position, Somalia’s Ambassador to Tanzania and Permanent Representative to the EAC, Mr Ilyas Ali Hassan, said the statement underscored the bloc’s commitment to peace, security and the rule of law.
“Somalia’s sovereignty is absolute, indivisible, and internationally guaranteed. Somaliland remains an integral and inseparable part of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” Mr Hassan said.
“Somalia will continue to defend its sovereignty through peaceful, lawful, and diplomatic means, while working with partners to safeguard regional stability and uphold international law,” he added.
Somalia joined the EAC in late 2023 and became a full member in March 2024, a development that has placed questions of sovereignty, regional security and political stability firmly on the bloc’s agenda.
The EAC’s position closely reflects long-standing African Union principles that oppose the redrawing of inherited borders outside agreed constitutional and diplomatic processes.
Similar views have been echoed by other international actors following Israel’s announcement.
The European Union has stressed that respect for Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity is key to peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, while calling for dialogue between Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia.
China has also weighed in, saying it opposes any attempt to split Somalia’s territory and warning against external encouragement of separatist movements
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