Tuesday July 22, 2025
Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adan (left) meets with Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Chih-chung (right) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei. The two sides are expected to sign a landmark coast guard cooperation agreement during the minister’s five-day visit aimed at deepening bilateral ties. Flags of Somaliland and Taiwan are displayed at the center. (Photo courtesy: Taiwan MOFA)
Hargeisa (HOL) — Somaliland and Taiwan are poised to sign a maritime cooperation agreement this week, bolstering their diplomatic relationship with a focus on regional security and coastal defence while deepening a relationship that continues to draw sharp criticism from Somalia and China.
Somaliland’s Foreign Minister, Abdirahman Dahir Adan, arrived in Taipei on Sunday for a five-day official visit, accompanied by senior officials, including Presidential Affairs Minister Khadar Hussein Abdi, Coast Guard Commander Admiral Ahmed Hurre Harir, and Chief Foreign Policy Adviser Mohamed Omar Hagi Mohamoud. The delegation is in Taiwan from July 21 to 25 at the invitation of the Taiwanese government.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the two sides will sign a “Coast Guard Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Government of the Republic of Somaliland” under the auspices of Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council and Coast Guard Administration. The agreement is expected to expand bilateral efforts in maritime security, anti-piracy operations, and capacity building for Somaliland’s coast guard forces.
Upon arrival, Minister Abdirahman addressed the media at Taipei’s international airport, expressing gratitude for the warm welcome and stating that “Taiwan is an important and trusted partner of Somaliland.” He added that both sides “share common values and aspirations,” and expressed hope that the visit would deepen “the growing friendship” between the two partners, according to Taiwan’s official statement.
During the visit, the Somaliland delegation is scheduled to meet with President Lai Ching-te, National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu, and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung. They will also be honoured at a state banquet hosted by Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Chih-chung.
In addition to security cooperation, the Somaliland delegation will meet with representatives from the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) to review existing development projects and explore future partnerships in sectors including agriculture, education, and healthcare.
The visit marks Minister Abdirahman’s first official trip to Taiwan since assuming office in December 2024. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the visit as “highly significant,” emphasizing shared commitments to democracy, rule of law, and human rights.
“Situated in the Horn of Africa, along the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Somaliland shares with Taiwan the universal values of freedom and democracy, and adheres to the rule of law and respect for human rights,” Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry stated. “Since the mutual establishment of representative offices in 2020, both sides have achieved fruitful outcomes in education, health, agriculture, ICT, security, and natural resource development.”
Since opening reciprocal representative offices in Hargeisa and Taipei in 2020, Somaliland and Taiwan have established partnerships across technology, agriculture, healthcare, and institutional development. Taiwan has committed more than $24 million in recent years to fund maternal health initiatives, election systems, and digital identity infrastructure in Somaliland.
Despite lacking widespread international recognition, both Somaliland and Taiwan have steadily expanded their diplomatic engagement and development cooperation. However, the deepening ties have not gone unnoticed. Somalia’s federal government and China have both condemned the relationship, viewing it as a challenge to territorial sovereignty and the “One China” principle. In April 2025, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially banned entry to holders of Taiwanese passports, citing United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and labelling Taiwan’s office in Hargeisa a “violation of Somalia’s sovereignty.”
Taiwan responded by issuing a reciprocal travel ban on Somali passport holders, calling Mogadishu’s move “politically motivated” and influenced by China.
China, which does not maintain official relations with Somaliland but claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has consistently supported Somalia’s opposition to the Taiwan–Somaliland alliance.
Relations deteriorated in 2022 when a planned visit by China’s ambassador to Hargeisa was abruptly cancelled after public backlash. Somaliland officials accused Beijing of attempting to pressure them into downgrading relations with Taiwan, a move Hargeisa firmly rejected.
In December 2024, China’s Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa visited Mogadishu and reaffirmed Beijing’s support for Somalia’s territorial integrity, a move widely interpreted as a counter to growing Western and Taiwanese outreach to Somaliland.
Meanwhile, Taiwan maintains that its engagement with Somaliland is guided by mutual respect, practical cooperation, and the promotion of democratic norms in Africa. “We will continue working hand-in-hand with the Somaliland government to promote the well-being of both peoples,” Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement this week.
Senior officials from Somaliland and Taiwan hold bilateral talks in Taipei during a high-level diplomatic visit led by Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adan. The visit includes meetings with top Taiwanese leaders and the signing of a maritime security agreement under growing regional scrutiny from Somalia and China. (Photo courtesy: Taiwan MOFA)
