President Mohamud asserts 'Somalia belongs to Somalis' in bold address to the nation
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has vowed to protect his country's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national pride, asserting that "Somalia belongs to Somalis."
Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud says Mogadishu severed defence and security ties with the United Arab Emirates on Monday because the UAE was not acting in Somalia's best interests.
Somalia's Council of Ministers approved the termination of Mogadishu's defence and security pact with the UAE, citing "compelling evidence" of actions deemed detrimental to Somalia's sovereignty and national unity.
The council did not specify the particular breaches.
In an address to the nation on Tuesday, President Mohamud said the UAE's actions "violated Somalia's national unity." Reaffirming his commitment to Somalia's unity, the president stated: "We say loudly and clearly: Somalia belongs to Somalis. Let Somalia unite."
Somalia had acted 'in good faith': Mohamud
"The UAE government's actions did not reflect respect for Somalia's national unity and sovereignty," Mohamud said, adding that when Mogadishu entered into a pact with Abu Dhabi, the Horn of Africa nation did so in "good faith."
The wide-ranging agreements spanned economic cooperation, infrastructure development, security, and defence partnerships, Mohamud stated.
The president said that, during implementation of the said-agreements, Somalia established that the UAE was engaging in actions that breach the unity, sovereignty, and dignity of the Somali people.
"Even after establishing that fact, we did not make a rushed decision. On multiple occasions, we implored upon the UAE to deal with us as one sovereign country, and also to stop their attempts to weaken our national fabric," Mohamud said.
Left with no other choice
He added that Abu Dhabi, nonetheless, "engaged in actions that, at times, were carried out without the knowledge of the Federal Government of Somalia, and whose deliberations were implemented within Somalia."
Mohamud stated that Mogadishu was left with no other choice but to "take the decisions announced yesterday (January 12, 2026)," referring to the annulling of several agreements with the UAE government.
"These necessary decisions are taken to defend the national interests, sovereignty, and the preservation of Somalia's territorial integrity," he said, emphasising that the continued engagement with Abu Dhabi "posed a threat to our sovereignty."
On Tuesday, Somalia's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Omar, told Al Jazeera that Mogadishu terminated several agreements with Abu Dhabi after the UAE-backed Yemeni separatist leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, illegally entered the Horn of Africa country through the breakaway region of Somaliland.
'Last straw'
Omar said the entry of al-Zubaidi, leader of the now-defunct Southern Transitional Council (STC), into Somali territory on January 8 was "the last straw" that occasioned the cancellation of all deals with Abu Dhabi.
"Using Somalia's airspace, Somalia's airfields to smuggle a fugitive is not something that Somalia condones," Omar said.
The state minister added that Somali authorities had received the passenger manifest, but al-Zubaidi's name was not listed among those on board the plane, suggesting he was hiding aboard.
The government further said that there were "other reasons" why Somalia made the decision on Monday.
Mohamud slams Israel's recognition of Somaliland
The UAE was yet to officially issue a statement regarding the developments in Somalia, though on June 6, Abu Dhabi had voiced its "support for Somalia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, security, and stability," following Israel's widely condemned recognition of Somaliland.
In his address to the nation on Tuesday, President Mohamud vowed to protect the country's dignity in the wake of Israel's recognition of Somaliland, a breakaway region in Somalia's north.
"Since Israel announced its reckless decision to recognise parts of our country as a so-called independent state, we have taken various measures related to defending the unity of the country. We have engaged with countries around the world and with international organisations of which we are members, in order to gain support for our just cause of defending our nation against the blatant aggression of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu," Mohamud said.
"By the grace of God, all the steps we have taken have been successful, and it has been possible for the world to unanimously, and in the strongest terms, reject Israel's attempt to divide the Federal Republic of Somalia," he asserted.