Mogadishu: Somalia on Tuesday strongly condemned the entry of the Israeli Foreign Minister into Hargeisa, a city that is an integral part of Somalia's sovereign territories.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered this action a blatant violation of the country's sovereignty, political unity, and territorial integrity, and an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of a UN member state.
The Ministry affirmed that Hargeisa is an integral and inalienable part of internationally recognised Somali territories, and that any official presence, contact, or dealings within Somali territories without the explicit consent and authorisation of the Federal Government are illegal, null and void, and have no legal effect.
The statement added that these practices contravene the principles of the UN Charter, the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU), and international norms governing relations between sovereign states, including respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference in internal affairs.
The Somali government called on Israel to immediately cease all actions that undermine Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and to fully comply with international law.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed Somalia’s commitment to peaceful international engagement, constructive diplomacy, and adherence to international law, while reserving the right to take all necessary diplomatic and legal measures to protect the country’s sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity.
