Published : 19 Apr 2026, 03:45 AM
Bangladesh has joined a coalition of 15 Muslim-majority nations to condemn Israel's reported appointment of a diplomatic envoy to what was called “Somaliland”.
The coalition includes countries from the Arab, Gulf, Africa, and Asia.
International media, citing a joint statement released on Friday, reported that the coalition called the move a flagrant violation of Somalia's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.
The joint declaration, reported by the Arab Times, the Kuwait-based English-language newspaper, asserts that the Israeli move undermines international norms over the territorial borders of Somalia.
The joint statement posted on the verified X handle of Oman’s foreign ministry noted that the signatories of the statement are Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Bangladesh, Algeria, Palestine, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mauritania, and Jordan.
“The ministers affirm their complete rejection of all unilateral measures that undermine the unity of states or detract from their sovereignty, emphasising their unwavering support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia, and for the legitimate Somali state institutions as the sole entity representing the will of the Somali people,” the statement on the X handle said.
“The ministers further affirm that such measures constitute a clear violation of the principles of international law, the United Nations Charter, and the Constitutive Act of the African Union, and represent a dangerous precedent that undermines stability in the Horn of Africa region, with negative repercussions on regional peace and security in general,” the statement added.
Earlier this week, the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also denounced Israel’s move, reiterating its support for Somalia’s internationally recognised government and its commitment to the country’s unity and state institutions, reported the Dawn, the Pakistani English-language newspaper.
In December, Israel became the first country to officially recognise the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign nation, according to the Dawn.
The United States later defended Israel’s decision at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the newspaper reported.