This article is published in association with United Nations.

The Security Council meets to renew mandates of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and UN Disengagement Observer Force; adopt a presidential statement on the Dayton Peace Agreement’s thirtieth anniversary and hear a briefing on developments in Somaliland as they relate to threats to international peace and security. 

Coming Tuesday: General Assembly and its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) meet to adopt 2026 UN budget

Today 01:39 π.μ.

End of live coverage

A summary of today’s meetings will be available here.

African Union rejects Israel’s attempt to undermine Somalia’s sovereignty

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The observer for the African Union rejected any initiative recognizing “Somaliland” as an independent entity.

Any attempt to undermine Somalia’s unity, sovereignty or territorial integrity is “inconsistent with the main principles of the African Union”, he warned. 

Respect for the UN Charter requires “full recognition” of Palestinians’ right to establish an independent State — “rather than taking unprecedented, provocative steps towards a region on the African continent”.Today 12:11 π.μ.

Israel ‘arrogantly’ challenging Council’s authority, Djibouti says

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 “This decision is in direct violation of established international norms and legal principles,” Djibouti’s delegate stressed – including those within the founding texts of the African Union and its Constitutive Act.

 Israel’s “reckless” decision “defiantly” violates the UN Charter, “arrogantly” challenges the Council’s authority and threatens the foundations of the international legal order. 

Israeli actions ‘direct threat’ to Horn of Africa, says Türkiye

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Israel’s actions are a “direct threat” to an Arab League member, said Türkiye’s delegate. They destabilize the Horn of Africa and gravely undermine interconnected Arab-African regional security.

Israel’s announcement is “another example of the Netanyahu Government’s unlawful actions aimed at creating instability” regionally and globally. 

Israel aims to displace Palestinians, exploit Somali ports, says League of Arab States

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International reactions reflect the “unanimous rejection and condemnation” of Israel for seeking to legitimize the secessionist aspirations of the north-western region of Somalia, said the speaker from the Permanent Observer Mission of the League of Arab States.

“Israel  aims to use this as pretext for illegal presence on Arab-African Somali soil to advance well known political, security and economic agendas that are unacceptable and condemned,” he said. 

“These actions flagrantly violate the United Nations Charter.”

Most dangerously, he said, they facilitate plans for the forced displacement of the Palestinian people and exploitation of northern Somali ports for the establishment of military bases.

Recognition of Somaliland is lawful, Israel says

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“Israel’s engagement with Somaliland has a long and consistent record,” Israel’s delegate said.

In 1960, when Somaliland emerged as an independent state, Israel was among 35 countries to formally recognize its independence, he said, adding that Somaliland civilians were subjected to mass atrocities in the late 1980s – crimes now widely recognized as the Isaaq genocide.

“Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is neither provocative nor novel,” he insisted. “It is a lawful, principled acknowledgement of a long established reality, consistent with international law and aligned with the values this Council is meant to uphold.”29 Δεκ 2025  11:08 μ.μ.

United States defends Israel’s right to conduct diplomacy

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Israel “has the same right to conduct diplomatic relations as any other sovereign State”, the United States delegate said.  

“We have no announcement to make regarding US recognition of ‘Somaliland’ and there has been no change in American policy,” she added.29 Δεκ 2025  11:05 μ.μ.

Somalia condemns recognition of Somaliland as act of aggression,  breach of UN Charter

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Somalia’s delegate, also speaking for Algeria, Guyana and Sierra Leone, condemned Israel’s “flagrant assault” on his country’s unity and territorial integrity through its recognition of “so-called ‘Somaliland’.

 Any such purported arrangements are “null and void”, he insisted. and a direct violation of the UN Charter, the fundamental principles of the African Union and international law.  

“This act of aggression is aimed at encouraging fragmentation of Somalia,” he said, calling on all Member States to condemn it “unequivocally”. 29 Δεκ 2025  10:56 μ.μ.

UN official urges Somali stakeholders to engage in peaceful, constructive dialogue

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On 26 December, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel’s official recognition of “Somaliland” as “an independent and sovereign State”, said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations.

“Somaliland” said the recognition would lead to “the establishment of full diplomatic relations” with Israel, he said, and framed it as confirmation of its sovereignty.

In response, Somalia’s Federal Government categorically rejected what it called “a deliberate attack” on its sovereignty.

Mr. Khiari called on Somali stakeholders to “engage in peaceful and constructive dialogue, in particular recalling the 2023 Djibouti Communique”.