DJIBOUTI (SD) -The President of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, in an interview with Jeune Afrique, condemned Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.

“The objective of Israel is to exploit this territory with non-peaceful intentions, and there are fears that the Somaliland administration will give Netanyahu everything to obtain this recognition.”

When asked about a military base that Israel could establish in Berbera, President Guelleh responded: “That is the greatest concern.”

President Guelleh, who has no political rival in office, added: “The UAE is Israel’s vanguard in the region, and they have ‘sold’ this recognition, enabling Israel to benefit from it.

The UAE creates conflicts in Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Chad, Libya, and everywhere it operates.

Djibouti, mindful of Red Sea interests, has always been close to Saudi Arabia, and has even granted it a military base.”

President Guelleh also spoke about relations between Djibouti and Somaliland, particularly regarding Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, saying:

“The relationship is cold. Djibouti has refused to meet or take phone calls from Abdirahman Cirro. The border remains open, but flights between Djibouti and Hargeisa have been suspended. The philosophy of Somaliland’s leaders for 34 years can be summed up in one sentence: ‘Let us obtain recognition at any cost, even if it is from the devil.’ It is not necessary to say such things; the region and Somalia do not agree with dragging the area into trouble.”

Djibouti, keeping its commercial interests in mind, is among the countries that strongly opposed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, describing it as unacceptable and contrary to Somalia’s unity, the African Union charter, and international law.

Ismail Omar Guelleh’s warning about potential Israeli recognition of Somaliland and a possible military base in Berbera reflects deeper geopolitical competition in the Red Sea corridor, not Somali, African or Muslim Unity.

Djibouti derives major strategic and economic leverage from hosting foreign military bases and controlling key port infrastructure near vital shipping lanes, so an expanded Israeli presence across the Gulf of Aden could dilute its regional importance and introduce new business rivalries.

By framing the issue as a violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity and African Union principles, Guelleh positions Djibouti as a defender of regional stability, and not a violator of Greater Somalia unity, while also protecting its commercial interests. His criticism of the United Arab Emirates suggests concern over Berbera Port and a broader Emirati-Israeli alignment reshaping power dynamics in the Horn of Africa.

Ultimately, the President’s hypocrisy highlights how Somaliland’s long-standing quest for recognition intersects with intensifying Middle Eastern rivalries, turning a diplomatic question into a strategic flashpoint.