Saudi Arabia says it fully supports Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity

Saudi Arabia fully supports Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and rejects any actions that undermine the country’s security and stability, the Kingdom’s top diplomat said on Sunday.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan made the remarks during a meeting in Riyadh with his Somali counterpart, Abdisalam Abdi Ali.

“At the outset of the meeting, Prince Faisal reaffirmed the Kingdom’s full support for the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia and the unity and territorial integrity of its land, rejecting anything that undermines Somalia’s security and stability,” SPA said.

“The meeting also reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to strengthen and develop them across various fields, in addition to discussing the latest regional developments and a number of issues of mutual interest,” the agency added.

Last month, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland was a “threat” to security and stability in the Horn of Africa and encourages secessionist groups.

Israel announced last month it was officially recognizing Somaliland, a first for the self-proclaimed republic that in 1991 declared it had unilaterally separated from Somalia.