Shafaq News– Mogadishu

Somalia announced on Monday that it has terminated all agreements with the United Arab Emirates, scrapping deals covering port operations, security cooperation, and defense.

In a statement, the Somali government said the decision includes the cancellation of all existing agreements and forms of cooperation related to the ports of Berbera, Bosaso, and Kismayo.

Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said in a post on X that the move was based on “reliable reports and evidence indicating practices linked to the United Arab Emirates that undermine the sovereignty of the Somali Republic, its national unity, and political independence.”

قرر مجلس الوزراء، في جلسته غير العادية المنعقدة اليوم، وبعد إجراء تقييم دقيق للتطورات الأخيرة واستنادًا إلى صلاحياته الدستورية، إلغاء جميع الاتفاقيات المبرمة مع دولة الإمارات، بما في ذلك الاتفاقيات المتعلقة بموانئ بربرة وبوصاصو وكيسمايو، فضلًا عن اتفاقيات التعاون الأمني والدفاعي.

— Hon. Ahmed FIQI (@AhmedMoFiqi) January 12, 2026

The announcement follows Israel’s recognition of Somaliland in December. Somaliland is a self-declared independent region in northwestern Somalia that broke away in 1991 but has not received international recognition.

It also comes days after reports that Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, leader of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council, traveled to the UAE via the port of Berbera in Somaliland on January 8 after rejecting Saudi calls to attend talks in Riyadh.