Israel’s recognition of the Somaliland region as an independent state has now stirred what had been relatively still waters, prompting a flurry of diplomatic contacts among several countries in the Middle East and North Africa, foremost among them Egypt. Cairo further called for an emergency meeting of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council to discuss the implications of the recognition. He stressed Somalia’s firm rejection of what he described as Israel’s reckless decision, citing its “serious repercussions that could draw external hostility and conflicts into Somalia’s interior.”Egyptian ConcernsFor Egypt, Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is expected to carry several long-term consequences. Hassan Sheikh Ali Noor, a professor of security studies at the Higher Institute for Security Studies in Mogadishu, told Alhurra that the timing of Israel’s recognition appears to be little more than an attempt to export Israel’s domestic crises abroad. Joint CooperationIn August 2024, Egypt and Somalia signed a military cooperation protocol.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 01, 2026 01:03 UTC