ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Egyptian foreign ministers on Sunday discussed the situation in Yemen and Somalia and resolved to promote regional peace and stability, the Pakistani foreign office said.

The development comes days after Israel announced recognizing Somaliland, a self-declared region that broke away from Somalia in 1991 but had not previously been recognized by any United Nations (UN) member state.

Pakistan on Sunday joined the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other Arab and Islamic nations in condemning the Israeli move, which it called a violation of international law. Islamabad has also voiced its support for Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic efforts for peace in Yemen, where the Houthi group and the government recently reached a deal to exchange nearly 3,000 prisoners.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty discussed the regional and global developments during their telephonic conversation on Sunday, according to the Pakistani foreign office.

“They shared views on regional and global developments, especially Somalia and Yemen,” it said in a statement. “They reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting regional peace, stability and development.”

Pakistan’s foreign office on Saturday issued a separate statement condemning Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.

“Pakistan strongly condemns any attempts to undermine the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia, and rejects, in this regard, the announcement made by Israel recognizing the independence of the so-called Somaliland region of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” it said.

Somalia’s government has said Israel’s recognition of Somaliland violates its sovereignty, while the African Union has opposed unilateral recognition of breakaway regions on the continent.

The Pakistani foreign office this week also underscored the need to uphold unity and territorial integrity of Yemen.

It expressed hope that Yemeni stakeholders will avoid any unilateral steps and urged all parties to engage constructively toward an inclusive, negotiated political solution of the conflict, following the prisoner exchange deal between the Houthis and the government.