Somaliland Representative Office in Taiwan Relocates; Envoy Pledges to Deepen Bilateral Cooperation

The Somaliland Representative Office in Taiwan held its opening ceremony today, officially relocating from its former site in Neihu to the Diplomatic Quarter in Tianmu. Mahmoud Adam Jama Galaal, the Somaliland Representative to Taiwan, stated that the new location, adjacent to other foreign embassies, will facilitate the promotion of exchanges and cooperation. He emphasized that the relationship between Taiwan and Somaliland is built on shared values such as democracy, freedom, and the rule of law, and that bilateral relations and cooperation will continue to deepen.

The opening ceremony took place in the afternoon as the Somaliland Representative Office in Taiwan moved from Neihu to the Tianmu Diplomatic Quarter. Representative Galaal and Taiwan's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wu Chih-chung, jointly cut the ribbon. Foreign envoys stationed in Taiwan, including Paraguayan Ambassador to Taiwan Darío Filártiga Ruiz Díaz, were also in attendance.

In his remarks, Wu Chih-chung noted that Taiwan and Somaliland mutually established representative offices in 2020 based on shared values of democracy, freedom, and human rights. Over the past six years, the two sides have continued to deepen cooperation in fields such as agriculture, healthcare, talent cultivation, information and communications technology, trade, energy, and infrastructure.

Wu pointed out that Somaliland is Taiwan's first major partner in East Africa, and their bilateral cooperation model can serve as a reference for neighboring countries, helping to promote the establishment of an innovative interaction framework for Taiwan in Africa. The relocation of the Somaliland Representative Office to the Diplomatic Quarter symbolizes the solid and friendly relations between the two countries. Wu expressed hope for further cooperation in areas such as maritime security, humanitarian aid, and infrastructure in the future, declaring, "Long live the friendship between Taiwan and Somaliland."

Representative Galaal expressed his gratitude to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for assisting with the relocation to the Diplomatic Quarter. The new site is adjacent to various embassies, which is beneficial for promoting exchanges, cooperation, and diplomatic affairs. Since the mutual establishment of representative offices, significant achievements have been made in various fields. Both representative offices operate highly efficiently, demonstrating the mutual trust between the two governments.

Galaal also mentioned that the relationship between Somaliland and Taiwan is based on common values like democracy, freedom, and the rule of law, as well as the principle that international cooperation should be built on mutual respect and mutual benefit. Both nations will continue to strengthen their bilateral ties and cooperation.

Regarding the importance of the cooperation between Somaliland and Taiwan, Galaal told reporters that Taiwan is a very important ally for Somaliland, sharing common principles in democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. This stands in stark contrast to authoritarian regimes that attempt to pressure Taiwan and Somaliland. He stressed that the two major political parties in Somaliland are united, will not yield to pressure, and maintain the right to choose which countries to establish relations with.

Galaal explained that Somaliland has already received its first recognition from a United Nations member state (Israel) and believes more countries will recognize Somaliland in the future. He noted that regardless of whether other countries grant recognition, the example of Taiwan shows that a nation can still achieve substantial development even with recognition from only a few countries. Therefore, as long as a country adheres to its principles and clearly knows which path to take politically and diplomatically, it can thrive. He also added that Somaliland has had absolutely no contact with China recently.