Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has urged Somaliland authorities to enter into dialogue with the federal government, insisting that national unity remains non-negotiable following Israel’s unprecedented recognition of the breakaway region as an independent state.
Mohamud made the call during a landmark visit on Friday to Las Anod, the administrative capital of the Sool region — a contested area long claimed by Somaliland. The trip marked the first by a sitting Somali president to the city in over 40 years and coincided with the swearing-in of the president of the newly formed Northeast State, Somalia’s sixth federal member state, established in August 2025.
Historic assertion of federal authority
The president’s office described the visit as a powerful symbol of the federal government’s commitment to territorial unity and integration of disputed northern territories. Las Anod, which Somaliland controlled until fierce clashes in 2023 forced its withdrawal, has since aligned more closely with Mogadishu.
“I am open to compromise on all issues except the unity of the country,” Mohamud stated, according to reports. He also dismissed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, declaring it rejected both domestically and internationally, while reaffirming Somalia’s sovereignty as non-negotiable.
Backlash against Israeli move
Israel became the first country — and the only UN member state — to formally recognise Somaliland as sovereign on 26 December 2025. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the joint declaration as aligned with the spirit of the Abraham Accords, promising cooperation in agriculture, health, technology and the economy. Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi hailed it as a historic breakthrough, with celebrations in Hargeisa featuring both flags.
The decision triggered widespread condemnation across the region. Somalia labelled it an unlawful assault on its territorial integrity, insisting Somaliland remains an integral part of the nation. The African Union, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Djibouti and others rejected the move, warning it threatened stability and could encourage other secessionist claims.
The European Union called for respect of Somalia’s unity and urged meaningful dialogue between Mogadishu and Hargeisa.
Longstanding division and fresh tensions
Somaliland has functioned as a de facto independent entity since declaring separation from Somalia in 1991 following the central government’s collapse. It maintains its own institutions, currency and security forces but had received no prior international recognition.
Mohamud’s outreach follows heightened regional rivalries in the Horn of Africa, including disputes over Red Sea access and recent Israeli diplomatic engagements, such as Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s visit to Hargeisa in early January 2026.
Analysts view the president’s call for talks as a strategic effort to counter external pressures while bolstering federal control over contested areas like Sool, Sanaag and Cayn amid clan-based and geopolitical frictions.
