Overview
- Meeting in Jeddah, the OIC’s 22nd extraordinary session adopted resolutions on Somalia and on Palestinian displacement, reaffirming support for Somalia’s unity and borders.
- The Somalia resolution urges member states and international bodies to avoid official or quasi-official engagement with Somaliland authorities and rejects any foreign military, security or intelligence presence on Somali territory.
- Ministers condemned an Israeli official’s January 6 visit to Somaliland and said the recognition violates international law and threatens stability in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.
- Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, called the move a direct attack on Somalia’s internationally recognised borders and inaugurated a new Pakistani consulate building in Jeddah during the visit.
- The OIC asked its leadership to engage UN bodies on the issue, Saudi Arabia pressed for a firm collective stance, and reports note Israel became the first state to recognise Somaliland on December 26.