Somaliland yet to Respond to Somalia’s Entry-point Ban on Taiwan Passports
The ban, which took effect on Wednesday, was announced in a notice issued by Somalia’s civil aviation authority last week, according to a report, citing Taiwan’s foreign ministry.
Taiwan has strongly condemned Somalia for imposing a ban on travelers holding Taiwanese passports, preventing them from entering or transiting through the East African nation.
According to a BBC report, citing Taiwan’s foreign ministry, the ban, which took effect on Wednesday, was announced in a notice issued by Somalia’s civil aviation authority last week. Somali authorities have yet to publicly comment on the decision, added the report.
The move comes amid deepening unofficial ties between Taiwan and Somaliland — a self-declared republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991 but lacks international recognition.
In 2020, Taiwan and Somaliland established reciprocal representative offices, a step that drew condemnation from both China and Somalia.
Somalia’s civil aviation authority issued a notice to airlines saying that Taiwanese passports “will no longer be valid for entry into or transit through the Federal Republic of Somalia” from 30 April, BBC quoted Taiwan’s foreign ministry as saying in a statement late on Tuesday.
“The ministry of foreign affairs has strongly protested Somalia’s action made under the instigation of China to restrict the travel freedom and safety of Taiwanese nationals and has demanded that the Somali government immediately revoke the notice,” the ministry added.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry has advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Somalia or Somaliland for their own safety, pending a reversal of Somalia’s recent ban on Taiwanese passport holders, reported BBC, citing Taiwanese media.
Neither Somalia nor Somaliland has issued an official response to the travel ban. China, however, welcomed the move.
“We highly appreciate this legitimate measure, which reflects Somalia’s firm adherence to the one-China principle,” AFP quoted Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun as saying to reporters on Wednesday.
Taiwan operates under its own constitution, holds regular multiparty elections, and governs itself independently. However, China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has vowed to reclaim it by force if necessary.
Under pressure from Beijing’s diplomatic campaign, Taiwan — officially known as the Republic of China — is formally recognized by only a small number of countries.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after the collapse of the Siyad Barre regime, is also not internationally recognized. Like Taiwan, it holds regular elections and operates as a de facto independent state.
In contrast, much of Somalia remains under the control of the Al-Shabab militant group, an al-Qaeda affiliate. The Somali government regards Somaliland as part of its sovereign territory and has condemned a recent agreement between Somaliland and Ethiopia over leasing access to a port.