The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss Israel’s announced recognition of Somaliland, a self-declared independent region of Somalia. The move drew widespread condemnation from world leaders over the weekend, and the UNSC session provided a forum for all member states to present their positions.

Somalia opened the discussion, denouncing Israel’s action as a “flagrant assault” on its unity and territorial integrity, and asserting that Somaliland is “legally incapable of entering into any agreement or arrangement with another country.” The representative, Abukar Dahir Osman, stated that the decision was in “direct violation of established international norms and legal principles,” describing it as an act of “aggression.” He also cited remarks by Israeli officials that, in his view, alluded to a forced relocation of Palestinians to Somaliland and the establishment of military bases in the territory. Somalia’s position was echoed by representatives of several African and Arab countries, as well as by statements from the African Union and the League of Arab States.

Israel and the US defended the move. The US delegate, deputy representative Tammy Bruce, argued that Somaliland has the same right as any other state to conduct diplomatic relations and noted that the recognition by several countries of what he described as a “non-existent Palestinian state” had not prompted an emergency UNSC meeting. However, the US refrained from itself taking a stance for Somaliland’s recognition, stating that “there has been no change in American policy.”

Israel, for its part, stated that it has had longstanding relations with Somaliland and formerly recognized its independence in 1960, when the territory briefly “emerged as an independent state.” This referred to five days in 1960 when the State of Somaliland proclaimed independence, before accepting union with the Somali Republic (today the Federal Republic of Somalia). This short-lived state was a  predecessor to the current Republic of Somaliland declared in 1991.

Other speakers, including Denmark and other European states, criticized Israel’s decision for setting a “dangerous precedent” that could exacerbate tensions in the Horn of Africa. They emphasized that any resolution of Somaliland’s status should occur in the framework of Somalia’s recognized national borders. The United Kingdom’s delegate proposed that the leaders of Somalia and Somaliland collaborate to curb Al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups in the region who might benefit from internal divisions.

Statehood under international law is assessed by the 1933 Montevideo Convention, which sets out four conditions: a permanent population, a defined territory, an effective government, and the capacity to enter into foreign relations. The convention seeks to balance territorial integrity and sovereignty with the right of peoples to self-determination. Customary international law, however, generally sets a high threshold for unilateral declarations of independence, typically recognizing such declarations only in cases of severe rights violations perpetrated by the central government.

Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in May 1991 amid the collapse of the long-ruling Siad Barre regime and the outbreak of civil war. Although it maintains its own government and currency, Somaliland has long lacked formal international recognition. According to analysts from the Council on Foreign Relations, Somaliland’s claim to independence stems in part from being a “relatively stable democracy” that “is attracting major foreign investors.” By contrast, Somalia, despite having international recognition, “hasn’t been a functioning country in decades.”