Nigerian official addressing a conference on strengthening Turkey and Nigeria’s $5 billion trade partnership.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sharply criticized Israel’s decision to recognize breakaway Somaliland, condemning it as illegal. Erdogan, who delivered his criticism during a recent visit to Addis Ababa, accused Jerusalem of trying to destabilize the volatile Horn of Africa region. According to him, regional problems should be resolved by African nations themselves and “should not be turned into an arena of struggle for foreign powers.” Somaliland seceded from Somalia in 1991 after a civil war and has governed itself since then. However, Somalia has refused to recognize the country’s independence, choosing to view it as a breakaway region instead. This stance was largely adopted by the international community until Israel, in late 2025, chose to recognize Somaliland’s sovereignty. Somali officials allege that the recognition is linked to a plan to displace Palestinians and resettle them in Somaliland.
Africanews