By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
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MOGADISHU, 21 October 2026 Somalia’s federal government has condemned a map presented by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a recent security briefing, saying it depicts the country as fragmented and undermines its internationally recognised borders.
In a statement, Somalia’s Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism described the map as misleading and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the country’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.
The ministry cited Somalia’s Constitution, the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitutive Act of the African Union in support of its position.
“Somali territories, including Somaliland and Puntland, are integral and inseparable parts of the unified Somali nation,” the statement said.
The ministry warned that attempts by foreign officials or organisations to redraw or misrepresent Somalia’s political map would violate international law and undermine established diplomatic principles.
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It also called on international partners and organisations to respect Somalia’s independence and territorial integrity, pledging to continue efforts to protect the country’s unity.
Netanyahu presented the map on 18 October during a national security briefing. Titled “Geopolitical Alliances in the Middle East,” the map displayed the logo of the German political foundation Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
The map placed Somaliland and Puntland in a grouping associated with Israel and the United Arab Emirates, while Somalia and the North East State administration appeared in a separate grouping linked to Türkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and maintains that it is an independent state, a claim rejected by the federal government in Mogadishu. Puntland operates as a federal member state of Somalia.
The briefing took place ahead of Israel’s scheduled 27 October election and was described as Netanyahu’s first in-person security press briefing since the attacks of 7 October 2023.