HARGEISA (Somaliguardian) – Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh on Friday warned that the establishment of an Israeli military base in the strategic port city of Berbera would pose a direct threat to stability across the Horn of Africa.
In remarks to local media, Guelleh accused Israel of leveraging Somaliland’s decadeslong pursuit of international recognition to secure a strategic foothold in the region. He said he was deeply concerned that authorities in Hargeisa could accept geopolitical concessions in exchange for formal recognition of statehood.
Guelleh, a veteran leader who has ruled Djibouti since 1999, also delivered unusually blunt criticism of the United Arab Emirates, describing it as Israel’s primary “gateway” into the Horn of Africa.
He asserted that the UAE is driving strategic realignments across the Horn and the Red Sea that risk intensifying existing conflicts. Guelleh further alleged Emirati involvement in destabilizing dynamics in Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Chad and Libya.
While distancing Djibouti from what he characterized as Emirati influence, Guelleh reaffirmed his government’s close strategic alignment with Saudi Arabia. He noted that Djibouti continues to grant the kingdom access to military facilities, underscoring the country’s longstanding role as a gatekeeper to one of the world’s most vital maritime corridors.
Guelleh also described relations with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro as “cold,” disclosing that his administration has declined meetings and high-level engagement with the new leadership in Hargeisa.
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