Foreign ministers of Pakistan, more than 20 Muslim countries and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have strongly condemned the visit of an Israeli official to the “Somaliland” region of the Federal Republic of Somalia, calling it a violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The statement came two days after the Israeli foreign minister arrived in the region in a high-profile visit, which Somalia described as an “unauthorised incursion”.

Israel announced last month that it was officially recognising Somaliland, the first country to do so since the self-proclaimed republic declared independence from Somalia in 1991.

Somaliland occupies a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and has its own currency, passport and armed forces, but has struggled to secure international recognition amid concerns that such steps could provoke Somalia and encourage other separatist movements in Africa.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, The Gambia, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye and Yemen, along with the OIC, recalled their declaration of December 27, 2025, which rejected Israel’s recognition of the “Somaliland” region.

The ministers expressed strong condemnation of the Israeli official’s visit on January 6, 2026, saying it constituted a clear violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and undermined established international norms and the United Nations Charter.

Reaffirming their unwavering support for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, the ministers underlined that encouraging secessionist agendas was unacceptable and risked exacerbating tensions in an already fragile region.

They also emphasised that respect for international law, non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states and adherence to diplomatic norms were essential for regional and international stability.

The statement commended Somalia’s commitment to peaceful international engagement and constructive diplomacy, and said the ministers would continue to support diplomatic and legal measures taken by Somalia to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity and stability.

The ministers further stressed that Israel should fully respect Somalia’s national unity and territorial integrity, honour its obligations under international law and immediately revoke the recognition issued in this regard, the statement added.