Somalia has barred Taiwanese passport holders from entering the country, the self-governing island’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday, blaming Chinese pressure on the African country as Taipei forges stronger ties with the breakaway territory of Somaliland.
The enclave of about five million people declared independence from Somalia in 1991 after the collapse of the central government in Mogadishu. But despite having its own government, currency and institutions, Somaliland has not been widely recognized by governments internationally, making it difficult for it to sign trade and security agreements or control its airspace.
In recent years, Somaliland has deepened diplomatic relations with Taiwan, causing outrage in Somalia and China as it has resisted Beijing’s attempts to expand its influence in Africa. Somaliland is now courting the Trump administration for diplomatic recognition after years of building relationships with Republican lawmakers and conservative research organizations.
The decision to bar Taiwanese passport holders comes days after the island’s foreign minister visited Eswatini, the tiny southern African kingdom and its only remaining diplomatic ally on the continent.
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the Somali Civil Aviation Authority had notified airline operators last week that its passport holders would not be allowed to “enter, exit and transit” Somalia starting on Wednesday.
The foreign ministry said that Somali authorities cited compliance with United Nations Resolution 2758, a measure passed in 1971 that recognized the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate Chinese representative at the United Nations. The resolution does not mention Taiwan’s sovereignty status. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory, and has said the resolution gives it legal status over the island.
