Addis Ababa — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday sharply criticised Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland, warning that the move would neither benefit Somaliland nor the wider Horn of Africa region.
Speaking in Addis Ababa, Erdogan said he had previously condemned the decision in December, describing it as illegal and unacceptable, and accused Israel of attempting to destabilise the Horn of Africa.
“We believe that the region’s problems should be resolved by the countries of the region themselves, and that the Horn of Africa should not be turned into an arena of struggle for foreign powers,” Erdogan said. “In this regard, I reiterate that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland does not serve the interests of Somaliland or the Horn of Africa.”
Turkey respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the region and does not seek new conflicts, he added, urging regional states to resolve their disputes through dialogue and warning against the risk of the Horn becoming a battleground for competing foreign powers.
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Israel has not publicly responded to Erdogan’s latest remarks.
Turkey has in recent years expanded its footprint across Africa, particularly in Somalia, where it trains security forces and maintains close diplomatic and economic ties. Ankara also has growing relations with Ethiopia.
Separately, Somalia’s federal government has suspended agreements with the United Arab Emirates, accusing it of backing Israel’s recognition decision. Mogadishu has also signed a defence pact with Qatar, while Turkey has deployed fighter jets to its military base in Somalia in what officials described as a show of support for the federal authorities.
The developments come amid heightened diplomatic tensions in the Horn of Africa, a region already grappling with security challenges and geopolitical competition.