Azerbaijan reiterates full support for Somalia's sovereignty, territorial integrity

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has issued a statement on its website, expressing support for Somalia’s sovereignty.

“The Republic of Azerbaijan reiterates its full support for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia within its internationally recognized borders,” Caliber.Az quotes the Ministry as saying in the statement.

The Ministry noted that the recognition of the "Somaliland" region of the Federal Republic of Somalia contradicts norms and principles of international law and the UN Charter.

“Azerbaijan has gone through its own painful experience with foreign military occupation and separatism in its territories, in violation of international law,” the statement said.

It added: “Guided by these principles and its own experience, the Republic of Azerbaijan remains firmly committed to the preservation of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of all states, and calls on the international community to act responsibly and in full compliance with international law.”

Somaliland, in northwestern Somalia, declared independence in 1991 after the Somali civil war. It functions as a de facto state with its own government, currency, and institutions, maintaining relative stability compared to southern Somalia.

Until December 26, 2025, no UN member state recognised Somaliland. On that date, Israel became the first to formally recognise it as an independent sovereign state, framing it in the spirit of the Abraham Accords and promising cooperation in agriculture, technology, and security. 

This drew widespread condemnation from Somalia, which called it a "deliberate attack" on its sovereignty. The US, Egypt, Türkiye, the Arab League, OIC, and others condemned it as violating international law.

By Khagan Isayev