Mogadishu — Somalia's foreign ministry on Sunday welcomed a joint statement by several Muslim-majority countries condemning what they described as Somaliland's "illegal and unacceptable" plan to open a representative office in occupied Jerusalem.

In a statement, Somalia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation praised the position taken by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Türkiye, Pakistan, Indonesia, Djibouti, Palestine, Oman, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon and Mauritania.

The countries said the reported move by Somaliland violated international law and United Nations resolutions concerning the status of Jerusalem, according to the Somali foreign ministry.

The ministers also reaffirmed that East Jerusalem has remained occupied Palestinian territory since 1967 and stressed that any attempt to alter its legal or historical status would be considered null and void under international law.

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Somalia's foreign ministry said it particularly welcomed the ministers' renewed support for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia, as well as their rejection of unilateral actions that could undermine the country's territorial integrity.

The statement comes amid reports that Somaliland, the self-declared republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991, is seeking closer diplomatic ties with Israel, including plans to establish a presence in Jerusalem.

Neither Somaliland authorities nor Israeli officials immediately commented on Somalia's statement.