Dr. Sankalp Gurjar Got It but Irro Failed Grasping Taiwan’s Value in Indo-Pacific Geostrategy

The Indo-Pacific region spans from the West coasts of the Americas to the Eastern shores of Africa and covering much of Asia and all of Oceania countries.

“The making and remaking of geographic alliances and partnerships are a function of military and economic interests” Dr. Sankalp

Dr. Gurjar is a research fellow with the Indian Council of World Affairs – an Indian think-tank established in 1943 and based in New Delhi, and a member of the Consortium of Indo-Pacific Researchers. He works on the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific, India’s foreign and defense policies, and maritime security.

The Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs (JIPA) is a professional journal of the United States’ Department of the Air Force. The publication fosters Air Force and Space Force personnel to grow intellectually and professionally.

An in-depth article by Dr. Sankalp discusses the current situation in the Indo-Pacific region and the economic and military forces that are competing there.

Speaking of Djibouti in that article, he said: “It is perhaps the most valuable military real estate in the world”. This statement itself makes Somaliland – a country bordering Djibouti – to be as valuable as Djibouti is.

The former chairman of the Wadani Political Party – who is also the party’s presidential candidate in the upcoming presidential election – said in a recent speech at the party’s convention that a relationship with Taiwan is worthless.

Irro’s remarks are a testament to his lack of knowledge about the current situation in the region and how the Western alliance is looking to counter China’s influence and expansion. It also shows his lack of knowledge about the China’s trap diplomacy disguised as development aid to the African countries, a scheme that emboldens the authoritarians and oligarchs in the continent.

The chairman of the UCID party – Faisal Ali Waraabe – has accused the WADDANI party’s presidential candidate – Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi aka Irro – of delivering Mogadishu’s message as to his statement that “China is more important for Somaliland than Taiwan”. Faisal continued to say that Somaliland welcomes both China and Taiwan, and is entitled to forge relations with both countries, but it is not a matter of choosing either China or Taiwan.

The founding values and principles of Somaliland Republic are absolutely incompatible with the social, economic, and political system of Chinese communism.

Dr. Sankalp Gurjar while highlighting on the value of the relationship between Somaliland and Taiwan, and how it relates to regional dynamics, here is his excerpt:

“Taiwan has emerged as an interesting actor in the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa and needs to be considered in the discussions of Africa in the Indo-Pacific. In 2020, Taiwan established diplomatic relations with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia. Taiwan is engaged in competition with China for recognition. It is recognized by only a handful of countries, whereas Somaliland does not even enjoy that recognition. However, many important players maintain unofficial contacts with both countries through their trade offices or other such mechanisms. Somaliland’s geostrategic position, which is probably as attractive as that of Djibouti, is of immense value for the evolving geopolitics of the Western Indian Ocean. The port of Berbera, which was once an important port in the northwestern Indian Ocean and even hosted a Soviet naval base, lies in Somaliland and is being developed by the UAE. Once developed, it will compete with Djibouti.

Just like Djibouti, Somaliland can also leverage its location for economic and political benefits. In the evolving geopolitics of the region, a Taiwanese presence in Somaliland may perhaps prove useful, as China’s rivals may seek to utilize Somaliland’s location, which is close to Djibouti, to keep a watch on Chinese activities in the Horn of Africa. Somaliland can also be helpful in monitoring terrorist activities in Somalia. Therefore, strengthening ties between Taiwan and Somaliland adds an interesting dimension to the strategic rivalries in the region. Moreover, it also contributes to the inclusion of African littorals in the Indo-Pacific as a smaller Pacific Ocean power such as Taiwan establishes its presence in the Indian Ocean.”