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STORY: UN / SOMALIA PRESSER
TRT: 03:02
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 02 JANUARY 2026, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, United Nations Headquarters
02 JANUARY 2026, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, press conference dais
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Abukar Dahir Osman, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Somalia:
“Those atrocities can never be called genocide. And it was not a term that can be used because it was not targeted for a specific group or specifically. The government were fighting with people who want to overthrow that regime at the time, and it took place many parts of Somalia, not only northwestern region. But the claim of genocide in Somalia decades ago - more than 40 years ago - by the occupying power of Israel, it was kind of like a shock to us. And it is an attempt, I believe, to distract what the occupying force are doing in the occupied land of Palestine.”
4. Med shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Abukar Dahir Osman, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Somalia:
“The idea of recognizing part of Somalia, I think we believe it was a calculated effort by the Israelis occupying force to distract the world. And we really appreciate when you see the not only the members of the Security Council, which overwhelmingly - or not overwhelmingly all of them - support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia. And we really appreciate this.”
6. Wide shot, dais
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Abukar Dahir Osman, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Somalia:
“Somaliland no longer exists. Somaliland was - when we got independence - was two regions, northeast and northwest region. And northeast, which is about 45 percent of the territory and 45 percent of the population, if it's not more, are also part of the Federal Government of Somalia. And the northwest region, part of that northwest region, which borders toward Djibouti, are also trying to say that we don't want to be part of secession group. This basically is not a problem of sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is a small group that want to secede.”
8. Wide shot, dais
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Abukar Dahir Osman, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Somalia:
“What Israel’s goal is, I think it’s not even secret. They want to export the Palestinian from Gaza to any country that accepts. And I think some of the conditions, probably the recognition of Somaliland. We can't even call Somaliland anymore, because one region of that is already part of Somalia. So, we have to call it the northwest region of Somalia. And I think there was a report that they secretly accepted 1.5 million Palestinians from Gaza to be deported and exported to Somaliland. And that is unacceptable.”
10. Wide shot, dais
Somali Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman today (2 Jan) told journalists in New York that Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state is a “calculated effort by the Israelis occupying force to distract the world,” and said that reports that Somaliland “secretly accepted” 1.5 million Palestinians to be deported there from Gaza would be “unacceptable.”
Osman was briefing reporters on the program of work of the Security Council for the month of January, which Somalia is presiding.
On Claims that Somalia had committed crimes of genocide in Somaliland, he said, “those atrocities can never be called genocide. And it was not a term that can be used because it was not targeted for a specific group or specifically. The government were fighting with people who want to overthrow that regime at the time, and it took place many parts of Somalia, not only northwestern region.”
Osman said, “the claim of genocide in Somalia decades ago - more than 40 years ago - by the occupying power of Israel, it was kind of like a shock to us. And it is an attempt, I believe, to distract what the occupying force are doing in the occupied land of Palestine.”
The Somali Ambassador expressed appreciation for Security Council Members who unanimously supported “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia” at the Council on Monday.
6. Wide shot, dais
He said, “Somaliland no longer exists. Somaliland was - when we got independence - was two regions, northeast and northwest region. And northeast, which is about 45 percent of the territory and 45 percent of the population, if it's not more, are also part of the Federal Government of Somalia.”
Osman Said, “this, basically is not a problem of sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is a small group that want to secede.”
He said Israel’s is to “export the Palestinian from Gaza to any country that accepts,” adding that this was “probably” linked to the recognition of Somaliland.
