Saudi Arabia Reaffirms Somalia Unity And Rejects Somaliland Recognition At OIC Meeting

Saudi Arabia reaffirmed strong backing for Somalia’s unity and sovereignty during an extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji warning that any recognition of separatist entities in the country risks serious political and security consequences for the wider region.

Acting on behalf of Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Waleed Elkhereiji joined the emergency session of OIC foreign ministers on the situation in Somalia, held at the organization’s headquarters in Jeddah, where member states reviewed recent developments affecting Somalia’s internal cohesion and regional stability.

Elkhereiji stressed that the Kingdom firmly supports "the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia," and highlighted that Saudi Arabia backs the recognised Somali state institutions while working to help maintain security and stability for Somalia and its people through joint Islamic and international efforts.

The vice minister declared the Kingdom’s clear opposition to "the declaration of mutual recognition between the Israeli occupation authorities and the Somaliland region," describing the move as an attempt to validate unilateral secessionist steps that undermine international law, the United Nations Charter, and the Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

He underlined Saudi Arabia’s categorical rejection of any efforts to create "parallel entities that contradict the unity and territorial integrity of Somalia," and its refusal of any partition or reduction of Somali sovereignty, noting that such arrangements could encourage similar steps elsewhere and thereby threaten the coherence of other OIC member states.

Waleed Elkhereiji urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and its members to take "a firm, collective Islamic stance" that rejects recognising or dealing with separatist structures in Somalia, calling for coordinated diplomatic work in international forums and holding "the Israeli entity fully responsible for any political or security repercussions resulting from such actions."

The vice minister also restated Saudi Arabia’s view on Palestine, stressing "the centrality of the Palestinian cause" and the Kingdom’s support for all initiatives seeking a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, leading to the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the creation of an independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

With inputs from SPA