Somalia and the Arab League

How do Somalia and the Arab League relate today?

Somalia is a member of the League of Arab States. When Israel recognised Somaliland in December 2025, the League's Secretary General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, called the move "a clear violation of international law and a flagrant infringement of the principle of the unity and sovereignty of states" (Anadolu Agency, 26 December 2025).

At the UN Security Council on 29 December 2025, the Arab League's envoy, Maged Abdelfattah Abdelaziz, spoke for the 22-member group. He rejected "any measures arising from this illegitimate recognition aimed at facilitating forced displacement of the Palestinian people" (Al Jazeera, 30 December 2025).

When did Somalia join?

Somalia joined the Arab League in 1974 and became its first member whose people are not ethnically Arab (US Library of Congress, Somalia: A Country Study, "Relations with Arab Countries"). The study links the move to Somalia's long cultural, religious and trade ties with the Arabian Peninsula, and to Somalis' sense of identification with Arabs (same source).

How did Arab ties shape Somalia before 1991?

The Library of Congress study gives this sequence (US Library of Congress, "Relations with Arab Countries"):

• 1970s: Somalia at first backed Arab states that opposed US policy in the Middle East, including Algeria, Iraq and Libya.
• After the Ogaden War: the Siad Barre government moved closer to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and both began to give military aid.
• 1981 to 1985: Somalia broke relations with Libya, accusing Muammar al-Qadhafi of backing the SSDF and the SNM rebels; relations were restored in 1985.
• 1980s: Somalia depended more and more on economic aid from Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
• 1990: this dependence was a key reason Somalia joined the US-led coalition against Iraq after the invasion of Kuwait. Qatar then cancelled further repayment of its loans, and Saudi Arabia offered a US$70 million grant and cheaper oil.

See also The Ogaden War, 1977 and The Siad Barre era, 1969 to 1991.

What does Somalia owe to Arab lenders?

Somalia's Ministry of Finance lists its foreign debt at the end of 2025 (Ministry of Finance, Annual Debt Management Report FY2025). The Arab lenders it names are:

• Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development: US$206.30 million, of which US$131.07 million is unpaid interest.
• Arab Monetary Fund: US$201.97 million.
• Abu Dhabi Fund for Development: US$267.81 million.
• Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development: US$123.88 million.
• Saudi Fund for Development: US$117.31 million.
• Iraq: US$227.12 million. Libya: US$46.97 million.

The same report records these steps (same source):

• 11 February 2025: a rescheduling with the Abu Dhabi Fund over 40 years, with 16 years' grace and no interest until the end of 2028.
• 9 April 2025: a 20-year rescheduling with the Arab Monetary Fund at zero interest.
• 8 February 2026: Algeria wrote to confirm full forgiveness of its debt.

The ministry also held technical talks with Iraq, Libya and the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development. Under the 2023 debt relief, the Arab Coordination Group of lenders was part of the US$3 billion given by bilateral and commercial creditors (IMF press release 23/438, 13 December 2023). See Debt and debt relief.

How does the Arab League deal with Somaliland?

The League treats Somaliland as part of Somalia. In its December 2025 statement it called unilateral recognitions "an unacceptable interference in Somalia's internal affairs" (Anadolu Agency, 26 December 2025). The Gulf Cooperation Council issued its own statement the same day, through its Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi (same source).

Related pages

• Somalia and the UN
• Debt and debt relief
• The Siad Barre era, 1969 to 1991