‘Last straw’: Somalia cuts UAE ties after Yemen separatist’s illegal entry

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Faisal AliJanuary 13, 2026 at 03:49 PM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

In January 2026, Somalia severed ties and cancelled all agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after a UAE-backed Yemeni separatist leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, illegally entered Somalia through the breakaway region of Somaliland. According to Somalia's state minister for foreign affairs, al-Zubaidi's unlisted presence on a UAE-registered cargo plane traveling from Somaliland to Mogadishu was "the last straw," although deeper frustrations with the UAE's conduct in Somalia also contributed to the decision. The cancelled agreements spanned port operations, security cooperation, and defense. This move has exposed divisions within Somalia's federal system, as some regions with close ties to the UAE rejected Mogadishu's authority to cancel the agreements. Somaliland, which lacks international recognition, also rejected the decision.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Israel 40% Somaliland ×250% Southern Transitional Council (STC) 60% Ali Omar 70% Aidarous al-Zubaidi ×280% United Arab Emirates ×390% Somalia ×5100%

Keywords

somalia 100% uae ties 90% somaliland 80% yemeni separatist 70% aidarous al-zubaidi 60% federal divisions 50% sovereignty violations 50% security cooperation 40% port operations 40%