Erdogan Criticizes Israel's Somaliland Recognition in Ethiopia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan concluded a significant diplomatic visit to Ethiopia on Wednesday, his first in nearly a decade, where he sharply criticized Israel's recent recognition of Somaliland as an independent state. Speaking at a joint press conference in Addis Ababa alongside Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Erdogan warned that the move threatens regional stability in the Horn of Africa and urged local nations to resolve their disputes without external interference.

Erdogan, who arrived in the Ethiopian capital amid celebrations marking 100 years since the opening of Turkey's embassy there, emphasized that Israel's December declaration, the first by any United Nations member state, benefits neither Somaliland nor the broader region. "Israels recognition of Somaliland would benefit neither Somaliland nor the Horn of Africa," he stated, calling for the area to avoid becoming a battleground for foreign powers. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after a civil war but has gained no formal international backing beyond Israel's endorsement. Somalia has denounced the recognition as illegal, viewing Somaliland as part of its territory, while the...