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Somalia condemns map presented by Netanyahu depicting country as divided following a high-level security press briefing in Jerusalem where graphics displayed the Horn of Africa nation split into separate geopolitical categories. In an official statement issued in Mogadishu, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation strongly rejected the presentation by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which depicted Somaliland and Puntland in distinct political groupings apart from the federal administration. Federal authorities reaffirmed Somalia’s absolute commitment to its national unity, constitutional sovereignty, and internationally recognized territorial integrity, warning against foreign attempts to misrepresent its borders.
The controversy arose during a televised geopolitical briefing titled “Geopolitical Alliances in the Middle East,” where the Israeli leadership presented maps categorizing regional actor alignments across North Africa and the Horn of Africa. In the briefing materials, Somaliland and Puntland were grouped alongside strategic lines linked with regional foreign partners, while federal territories were placed in an opposing block. Somali diplomatic officials underscored that any attempts by foreign governments or international figures to alter, fragment, or redraft Somalia’s official political map constitute a clear breach of international law, the United Nations Charter, and the Constitutive Act of the African Union.
Reiterating national policy, the federal government affirmed that all northern and central regions—including Somaliland and Puntland—remain integral, inseparable parts of the unified Somali state. Federal representatives called on international partners, multilateral institutions, and foreign governments to respect Somalia’s political independence and refrain from endorsing graphics that undermine sovereign national borders. While the federal administration did not immediately announce retaliatory diplomatic steps, government officials assured the public that executive agencies will continuously uphold their constitutional duty to safeguard national unity and counter external political provocations.
Regional political analysts note that external representations of Horn of Africa boundaries frequently trigger heightened diplomatic friction given ongoing state-building and security transition processes. Local civil society leaders and political organizations across Mogadishu welcomed the federal government’s firm response, emphasizing that maintaining internationally recognized state borders remains foundational for long-term regional peace and stability. As Somalia condemns map presented by Netanyahu depicting country as divided, federal institutions remain resolute in asserting full sovereignty and defending the country’s territorial boundaries on the global stage.