Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atty has issued a stark warning over Israel’s reported recognition of Somaliland, calling the move a dangerous and illegitimate escalation that threatens regional stability, international law, and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.
Abdel Atty described Israel’s engagement with the self-declared Somaliland region including a recent visit by the Israeli foreign minister, as an unjustified and unacceptable development. He stressed that any recognition of Somaliland constitutes a clear violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity and runs counter to international law, the principles of the United Nations Charter, and long-standing African consensus on the sanctity of inherited borders.
The Egyptian foreign minister emphasized that Africa must respond with a unified stance to counter what he described as a unilateral action that risks undermining peace and security across the continent. He warned that legitimizing separatist entities could set a destabilizing precedent, opening the door to further fragmentation in already fragile regions.
Abdel Atty linked the issue directly to Egypt’s strategic concerns, noting that instability in the Horn of Africa has immediate repercussions for maritime security in the Red Sea, a vital artery for global trade and Egyptian national interests. He recalled the post-independence African principle of preserving borders as inherited, arguing that abandoning this principle would invite widespread disorder.
In response to the development, Abdel Atty announced Egypt’s participation in an upcoming international conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, aimed at mobilizing regional and global opposition to what Cairo views as an illegal recognition. He said Egypt would work closely with Arab, African, and international partners to prevent further erosion of Somalia’s sovereignty.
Beyond the Horn of Africa, the foreign minister painted a broader picture of a region facing mounting instability. He described the current Middle East landscape as marked by unprecedented complexity, highlighting the ongoing war in Gaza as a central source of tension. Abdel Atty stressed the urgency of implementing the first phase obligations of the Sharm El Sheikh understandings, particularly the need to open the Rafah crossing from both directions to allow humanitarian aid and civilian movement.
He reiterated Egypt’s long-standing positions on the Palestinian issue, including its firm rejection of any attempt to divide Gaza or separate it from the West Bank. Abdel Atty emphasized that Israeli withdrawals must proceed according to agreed frameworks and timelines, followed by the rapid deployment of an international stabilization force and the launch of large-scale reconstruction efforts. He reaffirmed that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state remains, in Egypt’s view, the only sustainable path to lasting peace in the region.
Turning to Sudan, Abdel Atty underlined Cairo’s refusal to accept the collapse of the Sudanese state or the emergence of parallel political or military entities. He stressed that Egypt does not equate the Sudanese Armed Forces with any other actor, signaling continued political and diplomatic support for Sudan’s territorial unity and institutional continuity.
On water security, the foreign minister delivered a pointed message regarding the Nile, reiterating that Egypt would not hesitate to take all necessary measures to protect its water rights. His remarks underscored Cairo’s deep concerns over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the issue’s continued centrality to Egypt’s national security doctrine.
Economically, Abdel Atty outlined Egypt’s ambition supported by the European Union, to transform the country into a major hub for clean energy trading. He called for expanded European investment in electricity interconnection projects with Greece and Italy, deeper cooperation in petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, and stronger links between Egyptian and European research institutions.
He also highlighted the heavy burden Egypt bears by hosting millions of refugees fleeing regional conflicts. Abdel Atty urged the European Union to increase support for Cairo in managing this challenge and advocated the creation of alternative, legal migration pathways as a more sustainable solution to irregular migration across the Mediterranean.
Taken together, Abdel Atty’s remarks reflect an Egyptian foreign policy increasingly focused on preventing fragmentation in its strategic neighborhood, safeguarding vital trade routes and water resources, and positioning Egypt as both a stabilizing force and an economic partner in a region facing profound geopolitical uncertainty.
