The African Union has firmly rejected Israel's recognition of Somaliland, with AU Commission President Mahmoud Ali Youssouf emphasizing the organization's commitment to Somalia's unity and sovereignty. This stance highlights the AU's adherence to historical principles, while also exposing inconsistencies within the organization, such as its acceptance of the self-proclaimed "Sahrawi Republic," a move not recognized by the United Nations. DR ‹ › The African Union has decisively rejected Israel's recognition of the so-called «Republic of Somaliland». This position was clearly expressed by the President of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, a native of Somalia. In an official statement, he reaffirmed «the unwavering commitment of the African Union to the unity and sovereignty of Somalia». The Somali official justifies this rejection by pointing to «the consistent and historical stance of the African Union, rooted in the principles of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, particularly the respect for borders inherited from independence, as established by the 1964 decision of the Organization of African Unity». This resolution, at the time, was championed by Algeria and publicly supported by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, aiming to counter Morocco's legitimate claims for the return of the Eastern Sahara, which was occupied by France in the 20th century. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf also stresses that «Somaliland remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Any attempt to undermine the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia contradicts the fundamental principles of the African Union and risks setting a dangerous precedent with serious consequences for peace and stability on the continent». This unease within the continental organization echoes a previous instance: the independence of South Sudan in 2011. Double Standards The statement from the AU Commission President underscores the inconsistency that has existed within the pan-African organization since the 1980s, when it admitted the self-proclaimed «Sahrawi Republic». This membership as a state sets a precedent since the «SADR» has never been recognized by the United Nations. However, unlike the Polisario's admission, South Sudan's membership in the African Union, formalized on August 15, 2011, was preceded by an agreement on July 8, 2011, in which Sudan officially recognized South Sudan. To this day, Morocco has never taken such a step. This inconsistency is regularly highlighted by global powers such as China and Russia, which refuse the presence of the Polisario at summits and ministerial meetings organized with the African Union. This is evidenced by the Cairo Declaration issued at the end of the economic forum held on December 20 and 21, 2025. This clarification is also reflected in the final communiqué of the July 2023 summit between the two parties. «We, Heads of State and Government of the Russian Federation and African states recognized by the United Nations (UN), gathered on July 28, 2023, in Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation) to participate in the Second Russia-Africa Summit, reaffirming the principles and objectives established in the Declaration of the First Russia-Africa Summit (Sochi, October 24, 2019), which laid the strategic foundations of our 21st-century relations», reads the document. Following the recognition of Somaliland, Israel might recognize the «Federal Republic of Kabylie», proclaimed on December 14 in Paris. The African Union is likely to once again express its opposition to any weakening of one of its member countries...
