Saudi Arabia has issued a formal condemnation of the recent visit by Israel’s foreign minister to the breakaway territory of Somaliland, framing it as part of a broader set of actions that undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

The visit by Gideon Sa’ar on January six came on the heels of Israel’s decision on December twenty-six to become the first United Nations member state to recognise Somaliland’s self-declared independence — a move that Riyadh and a coalition of Arab, African, and Muslim-majority states have rejected as inconsistent with international law and longstanding diplomatic norms.

In official statements issued late last month and reiterated this week, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the kingdom’s full support for Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, describing Israel’s unilateral recognition of Somaliland and the subsequent high-level visit by Sa’ar as actions that risk destabilising regional peace.

Saudi officials emphasised that they reject any attempt to create parallel entities that could weaken established state structures, stressing the importance of upholding the Charter of the United Nations and principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign nations.

The visit by Israel’s top diplomat marked the first such diplomatic engagement following Tel Aviv’s groundbreaking decision to establish formal relations with Somaliland, which has operated as a de facto autonomous entity since 1991 without formal recognition by other states.

Sa’ar met with Somaliland’s leadership in the capital, Hargeisa, and discussed plans to deepen bilateral ties, including the establishment of an Israeli embassy, a development that has drawn fierce opposition from Mogadishu and its international supporters.

Saudi Arabia’s statement aligned with a broader coalition that includes Egypt, Turkey, Iran and members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, as well as a joint declaration by foreign ministers from more than twenty African and Islamic countries condemning the visit as a violation of established norms.

The coalition’s communiqués emphasised that respect for international law and support for Somalia’s territorial integrity remain essential to regional stability.

The controversy has also prompted protests within Somalia’s capital, where demonstrators have voiced anger at what they see as foreign interference in national affairs.

Mogadishu’s government has described the Israeli decision as an unauthorised incursion into its sovereign territory and has pledged to pursue diplomatic and legal measures to defend Somalia’s unity.

Saudi Arabia’s rebuke of the Somaliland visit underscores deepening tensions over geopolitical alignments in the Horn of Africa and reflects wider unease among Arab and Muslim states regarding unilateral moves that challenge existing territorial configurations and international consensus on sovereignty.

The evolving situation continues to draw intense diplomatic attention as regional capitals weigh the implications for stability and the norms governing recognition of statehood.