Foreign Minister Joseph Wu welcomed Somaliland’s first representative to Taiwan, Mohamed Omar Hagi Mohamoudon, on Sunday.
A spokesperson for Taiwan’s foreign ministry, Joanne Ou, said Monday that Somaliland will open a new representative office in Taipei in August or September. Ou said the two sides are still discussing the next steps in their ties.
The East African state of Somaliland declared independence in 1991 after a civil war in Somalia. Although it does not have official diplomatic ties with any country, it has 20 representative offices in countries around the world. Countries and organizations, including the EU, the UK and the UN, maintain offices in its capital.
China has offered to set up a representative office in Somaliland if they ditch plans to establish ties with Taiwan. They also sent a delegation to Somaliland last week, but Somaliland’s representative to Taiwan went ahead with his plans to visit Taiwan, and arrived in Taipei on Friday night.
Taiwan’s foreign minister tweeted on Sunday about Mohamoudon’s arrival, saying it was “Great that [Somaliland’s representative] braved China’s pressure to arrive in Taiwan.” The minister also said that, “the fact that ‘sovereignty & friendship aren’t for sale’ deserves international recognition.”
Taiwan’s foreign ministry says that it is also planning to open an office of its own in Somaliland.
Source: radio Taiwan International