On Sunday, 28 December 2025, an emergency joint session of the 11th Federal Parliament of Somalia—comprising the House of the People and the Upper House—was convened with a quorum of 170 members present. Parliamentarians approved the agenda to hear a political briefing from the President of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on the current national situation.
The session followed developments on 26 December 2025, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly made a unilateral announcement, using his private phone, expressing an intention to recognize Somaliland as an independent state.
The Speaker of Parliament, H.E. Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur (Madobe), issued procedural instructions to members, after which the President was formally welcomed. The session opened with the Somali national anthem before proceeding to the presidential address.
Presidential Speech
In his address, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud thanked members of both legislative chambers for their presence and support. He stated that Somalia is facing foreign interference that threatens its sovereignty, describing the recent announcement as illegal and unacceptable.
“This so-called independence announcement has shocked us and serves as a wake-up call to defend our national interests,” the President said, adding that this was not the first unilateral action of its kind and warning against repeated interference by what he described as rogue actors.
The President emphasized that Somalia is a sovereign nation that has endured decades of civil war, instability, and foreign intervention, and is now making progress toward direct, democratic elections, transitioning away from indirect representation.
He called on Parliament to take a firm stand against actions that undermine Somalia’s independence, noting that the Somali people would not accept any measures that violate their territorial integrity. He reaffirmed Somalia’s commitment to working closely with international partners the United Nations.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reiterated that Somaliland remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia and rejected any attempts at external recognition or proxy involvement. He also restated Somalia’s longstanding position supporting a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel, in line with international law.
In his concluding remarks, the President expressed confidence in the reconciliation process between the Federal Government of Somalia and Somaliland, stating that unity efforts should be led by technical experts from both sides through dialogue and peaceful engagement.
The ten-minute speech focused on defending Somalia’s sovereignty, condemning violations of international law and treaties, and calling for national unity and parliamentary action.
