Wednesday April 30, 2025
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (MOFA)
Mogadishu (HOL) — Taiwan has imposed a reciprocal travel ban on Somali passport holders and accused China of pressuring Mogadishu into banning Taiwanese citizens, escalating diplomatic tensions over Taiwan’s ties with the breakaway region of Somaliland.
A Somali foreign ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, confirmed to the Associated Press that Taiwan had imposed a reciprocal ban on Somali passport holders. The official said the decision was made recently but was not formally announced.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the decision after Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority instructed airlines last week not to allow passengers with Taiwanese passports to enter, exit, or transit the country beginning April 30. Taiwan condemned Somalia’s move as politically motivated and warned its citizens against travelling to either Somalia or Somaliland.
“This is a distorted interpretation of international law and a deliberate effort to isolate Taiwan,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement. It accused Beijing of influencing Somalia’s decision in retaliation for Taiwan’s diplomatic outreach to Somaliland.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Somalia to reverse the travel ban and advised its citizens to avoid travel to both Somalia and Somaliland until the restrictions are lifted.
A Somali civil aviation official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the directive had been issued to all airline operators. Somalia has not formally commented on Taiwan’s response.
A notice was issued to all airlines on April 22, “instructing them not to carry passengers holding Taiwanese passports for entry, transit, or departure through Somalia."
China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, welcomed Somalia’s decision. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun praised the move as a “legitimate measure” that aligns with the “One China” principle, citing United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, which recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the sole representative of China at the UN.
Taiwan, a self-governing democracy with its own government and military, has never formally declared independence but maintains diplomatic and economic ties with several nations. It has faced increasing pressure from China, which seeks to limit its international recognition.
The current dispute stems from Taiwan’s relationship with Somaliland, a region that declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but lacks international recognition. In 2020, Taiwan opened a representative office in Somaliland’s capital, Hargeisa, and appointed an ambassador. The two sides have since expanded education, health, and security cooperation.
Earlier this month, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre visited Las Anod, a contested city in Somaliland’s Sool region, where fighting since 2023 between Somaliland forces and clan militias has left hundreds dead or injured. Rights groups have accused Somaliland security forces of indiscriminate shelling, a claim the government denies.
Analysts say the diplomatic tit-for-tat highlights both Beijing’s growing influence in the Horn of Africa and the global stakes tied to Somaliland’s unresolved political status.