Seminar in Sanaa: Israeli recognition of “Somaliland” is existential threat to Yemen, escalation of Red Sea militarization
SANAA, Jan. 28 (YPA) – Politicians and researchers from Yemen and Somalia have warned of the grave repercussions following the Zionist entity’s announcement of its recognition of “Somaliland” as an independent state.
Participants characterized this move as a “strategic shift” aimed at encircling the Arab region and gaining control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
These statements were made during a political seminar organized by the Yemen Horizons Center for Research and Studies in Sanaa today, Wednesday.
The event, moderated by the center’s director, Abdullah Sabri, featured extensive participation from diplomats, researchers, and representatives of the Somali community.
Security and Geopolitical Dimensions
Ambassador Ahmed Omar, Head of the Africa Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presented working papers outlining the “Periphery Doctrine” employed by the Zionist entity to build influence in the Horn of Africa. He explained that Israeli motives extend beyond politics to include:
- Military: Establishing intelligence bases to monitor movements in the Red Sea.
- Economic: Investing in the Port of Berbera and exploiting fragile legal status to secure low-cost deals and future natural resources.
- Political: Breaking international isolation and supporting secessionist tendencies to weaken the central Somali state.
The Yemeni Position: “A State of War”
For his part, researcher Taleb Al-Hasani emphasized that the Yemeni position considers this recognition “null, void, and illegal.” He warned that any Zionist military presence in “Somaliland” would be treated as an “existential threat and a state of war.”
Al-Hasani noted that complacency toward this infiltration constitutes “national treason,” asserting that Red Sea security is a collective responsibility of all coastal nations.
The Somali Voice: Rejecting Fragmentation
Via video link from Mogadishu, the head of the Somali community, Sheikh Ibrahim Abdul Qader, and the director of the “Somali Readings” website, Abdulrahman Sahl, affirmed that the Somali people reject the “foreign body” the Zionist entity is attempting to plant between Yemen and Somalia.
They explained that Zionism seeks to tighten the grip on maritime corridors, particularly after receiving “painful blows” from Yemeni forces in support of Gaza.
Concluding Recommendations
The seminar concluded with decisive recommendations, calling for:
- Strengthening joint coordination between Sanaa and Mogadishu to counter partition schemes.
- Developing naval and aerial capabilities to monitor hostile movements in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
- Diplomatic mobilization through the African Union and international organizations to prosecute the Zionist entity for its violation of international law and Somali sovereignty.
YPA