Somaliland defends Taiwan ties despite growing pressure from China and Somalia

Somaliland has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining relations with Taiwan, saying it has the sovereign right to decide its own international partnerships despite continued opposition from both China and Somalia.

Somaliland has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining relations with Taiwan, saying it has the sovereign right to decide its own international partnerships despite continued opposition from both China and Somalia.

The statement came during the opening of a new Somaliland representative office in Taiwan, where senior officials emphasized that external pressure would not influence the territory’s foreign policy decisions.

Located in the Horn of Africa, Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after the collapse of Somalia’s central government and the outbreak of civil war. Although it has operated as a self-governing territory for more than three decades and has maintained relative peace and stability, it remains largely unrecognized by the international community.

Somaliland and Taiwan established representative offices in each other’s capitals in 2020, creating a partnership between two governments that face diplomatic challenges on the global stage. Taiwan is claimed by China as part of its territory, while Somaliland continues to seek wider international recognition as an independent state.

Speaking at the opening ceremony in Taipei, Somaliland’s representative to Taiwan, Mahmoud Adam Jama Galaal, described Taiwan as an important partner. He stressed that Somaliland’s political leadership remains united in its approach to foreign relations and has no intention of yielding to outside demands.

Galaal said Somaliland has the right to determine its own diplomatic relationships and noted that efforts to pressure the territory into ending its ties with Taiwan have not succeeded. He also revealed that Somaliland has not recently held any communication with the Chinese government.

The relationship between Somaliland and Taiwan has drawn criticism from both Beijing and Mogadishu. China opposes any official engagement with Taiwan and has consistently objected to efforts that give the island a greater international presence.

Somalia has also strongly rejected the partnership, arguing that Somaliland remains part of its territory. Somali officials have repeatedly criticized attempts by Taiwan to strengthen diplomatic and political cooperation with Somaliland without the approval of the federal government in Mogadishu.

Ali Mohamed Omar, Somalia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, reiterated his country’s position, stating that Somaliland is an inseparable part of Somalia. He condemned what he described as efforts to bypass Somalia’s internationally recognized government.

Tensions surrounding Somaliland’s international status intensified late last year when Israel formally recognized the territory as an independent and sovereign state. The move marked a major diplomatic breakthrough for Somaliland, which had struggled for decades to gain recognition from other nations.

Somalia strongly opposed Israel’s decision and described it as an attack on its sovereignty. China also criticized the recognition, while Taiwan welcomed the development and expressed support for Somaliland’s international engagement.

At the office opening ceremony, Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu praised the growing relationship between the two sides. He said cooperation had expanded significantly over the past six years across a variety of sectors and highlighted shared values such as democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.

Taiwan’s diplomatic presence in Africa has declined significantly in recent years as China has expanded its influence across the continent. Currently, Eswatini remains the only African nation that maintains full diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Taiwan continues to argue that it has the right to develop ties with countries and territories around the world. Its government rejects Beijing’s claim that China has the authority to represent Taiwan in international affairs, maintaining that the island should be free to engage with partners of its choosing.

As pressure from both China and Somalia continues, Somaliland’s leaders appear determined to preserve and strengthen their relationship with Taiwan, viewing the partnership as an important part of their broader international strategy.