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Israeli recognition of Somaliland would not benefit region: Erdoğan

17 February 2026 19:56 (UTC +04:00)

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland would benefit neither Somaliland nor the Horn of Africa, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, reiterating concerns over the possible regional implications of such a move, APA reports citing Daily Sabah.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Erdoğan said Türkiye stands with the people of Africa on the basis of equal partnership and that Türkiye does not want to see new conflicts added to the suffering the Horn of Africa has already endured, emphasizing that regional problems should be resolved by regional actors and warning that Israel’s potential recognition of Somaliland would benefit neither Somaliland nor the Horn of Africa.

“As Türkiye, we never want new conflicts and suffering to be added to what the region has already endured,” Erdoğan said.

“We believe that solutions to regional problems should be developed by the countries of the region themselves and that the Horn of Africa must not be turned into a field of struggle for foreign powers. In this regard, I want to reiterate that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland would benefit neither Somaliland nor the Horn of Africa.”