Mohamed Mahmoud
Friday October 23, 2026
From the Somali capital, Mogadishu (Reuters)
A map unveiled by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sparked outrage in Somalia, which accused him of undermining its sovereignty and territorial integrity by depicting Puntland and Somaliland as separate states.
The map has reignited fears of partition in a country already grappling with deep divisions. Puntland remains at odds with the federal government, while Israel recognized the breakaway region of Somaliland several months ago.
Somalia rejects the map
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Somalia's federal government "categorically rejected" what it called a "misleading map" displayed during Netanyahu's news conference on Sunday, saying it portrayed the country as fragmented.
It condemned the move as "a flagrant violation of Somalia's sovereignty, territorial integrity and internationally recognized borders."
In a statement issued by the Information Ministry on Wednesday evening, the government reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to national sovereignty and the unity of its territory and people.
It stressed that Somaliland and Puntland remain "integral and inseparable parts of the unified, sovereign Somali state."
The government warned that any attempt by foreign officials or outside parties to redraw Somalia's political map, misrepresent its borders or undermine its territorial unity would constitute a direct violation of international law and diplomatic norms.
It urged the international community and its partners to respect Somalia's independence and territorial integrity, pledging to uphold its constitutional duty to defend the country's sovereignty and national unity.
Netanyahu displayed the map, titled "Geopolitical Alliances in the Middle East," during an Israeli national security briefing on Oct. 18. It placed Puntland and Somaliland in geopolitical categories linked to Israel.
For Mogadishu, the controversy goes beyond the map itself.
Abdulwali Jama Barre, an African affairs expert and co-founder of the Somali Academy of Leadership and Global Affairs, said the government's response underscored its determination to preserve Somalia's unity and reject any treatment of its regions as independent states.
But Barre drew a distinction between the map's depiction and formal recognition of independence.
"Showing Somali territories under separate geopolitical classifications does not, in itself, mean the map formally declared them independent states," he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
"However, the Somali government viewed the depiction as fragmenting the country's political map and undermining its internationally recognized borders."
Barre said the dispute carried particular weight given Somaliland's contested political status, its ties with Israel and fears in Mogadishu that foreign involvement could weaken Somalia's unity.
The deeper concern, he said, is that foreign powers could increasingly treat Somali regions as entities separate from the federal state.
That risk would grow if symbolic gestures were followed by concrete steps or new formal arrangements amid the country's existing political disputes, he added.
Deep divisions
Somaliland's strategic location adds another dimension to the dispute.
The breakaway region stretches along 740 kilometers of the Gulf of Aden coastline, occupying a key position at the junction of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea in the Horn of Africa. It is also home to the strategically important Port of Berbera.
Since breaking away from Somalia in 1991, Somaliland had failed to secure international recognition until Israel recognized it, a decision Mogadishu firmly rejects, with Arab countries backing its position.
The map controversy comes as tensions between Somalia's federal government and Puntland remain unresolved.
In May, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni declared that he no longer recognized Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as Somalia's legitimate president, accusing him of illegally abusing his presidential powers.
Deni called for an urgent gathering of Somalia's political parties to agree on an inclusive electoral process.
The dispute is part of a broader rift between Puntland and Mogadishu. Over the past year, the regional administration has repeatedly challenged Mohamud's positions and refused dialogue with him.
Deni has also joined the opposition Somali Future Council, which is demanding the government's departure.
At the time, Somalia's federal Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali, known as Hosh, sharply criticized Deni, calling him "an obstacle to the state, the country's unity and its development."
Barre warned that such internal divisions must be addressed through constitutional and political dialogue to prevent disputes between Mogadishu and regional administrations, particularly Puntland, from becoming an arena for foreign competition.
He urged Mogadishu to pursue diplomatic action on several fronts, beginning with a formal protest to Israel and a request for clarification about the map and the circumstances in which it was presented.
Somalia should also raise the matter with the United Nations, African Union, Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation, seeking assurances of respect for its sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said.
At home, Barre stressed the need for renewed dialogue between the federal government and regional administrations, especially Puntland, to resolve their differences within an agreed constitutional framework.