Erdogan: Israel's Recognition of Somaliland is Illegal

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called Israel's recognition of Somaliland "illegal and unacceptable" during a joint press conference with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Istanbul.

Erdogan stated that Israel's decision threatens to destabilize the wider region and emphasized the importance of maintaining Somalia's unity and integrity. He also mentioned that Turkey plans to begin offshore drilling off the coast of Somalia in 2026 as part of a bilateral agreement.

Turkey has condemned Israel's recognition of Somaliland, calling it a "blatant interference in the internal affairs" of Somalia. It provides military and economic support to Somalia and contributes to the reconstruction of the country's army and infrastructure.

Somaliland unilaterally declared its independence in 1991 and has been operating autonomously since then, but is not recognized by any other country besides Israel.