African Union ECOSOCC Chairperson Concerned About Airspace Access; Taiwan's MOFA Expresses Gratitude and Affirmation
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked Louis Cheick Sissoko, Chairperson of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU ECOSOCC), for his concern regarding airspace access issues. The MOFA emphasized Taiwan's unwavering resolve against political interference in international aviation and economic domains, stating it would not back down.
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- 📰 Published: May 4, 2026 at 12:13
- 🔍 Collected: May 4, 2026 at 12:31 (18 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 4, 2026 at 12:37 (5 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA reporter Yang Yao-ru, Taipei, 4th) Louis Cheick Sissoko, Chairperson of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council, expressed concern on social media about airspace overflight permit issues involving three African nations. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs today thanked Sissoko for his attention to the obstruction of President Lai Ching-te's previous visit and emphasized that Taiwan will never back down when faced with a specific country extending its political reach into international aviation and economic and trade fields.
Louis Cheick Sissoko, Chairperson of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU ECOSOCC), posted on Facebook on the 3rd, stating his indignation at recent international developments, especially regarding airspace overflight permit issues involving Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar. This situation, he noted, reflects a crucial fundamental principle: national sovereignty is inviolable.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release this morning, stating its deep agreement with Sissoko's firm stance in defending the sovereignty of African nations and rejecting undue interference from external forces. It also highly affirmed and thanked Sissoko for his concern regarding the postponement of President Lai's visit to the Kingdom of Eswatini due to the cancellation of overflight permits by some African countries, and for his public call for all nations to maintain autonomy over their airspace.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that Sissoko explicitly emphasized in his post that national sovereignty is inviolable and called for respect for each nation's autonomy in choosing cooperation partners. His statement not only served as strong support for the obstruction of President Lai's earlier visit but also precisely highlighted the core issue of external intervention bullying the weak, fully demonstrating African opinion leaders' firm belief in resisting external forces and defending international fairness and justice.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that as the dialogue mechanism between the African Union and African civil society, Sissoko's remarks clearly represent an awakening of African civil society to the phenomenon of external hegemonic dominance in Africa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan), African nations, and the African Union all highly value national sovereignty and autonomy, and are committed to establishing equal and mutually beneficial international relations. Facing a specific country extending its political reach into international aviation and economic and trade fields, intending to disrupt international norms, Taiwan will never back down. It will continue to deepen cooperation with African friendly nations and friends, jointly defend the principle of equal interaction, and resolutely resist all forms of diplomatic coercion, working hand in hand to safeguard an international order based on respect and trust. (Edited by Su Chih-chung) 1150504
(CNA reporter Yang Yao-ru, Taipei, 4th) Louis Cheick Sissoko, Chairperson of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council, expressed concern on social media about airspace overflight permit issues involving three African nations. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs today thanked Sissoko for his attention to the obstruction of President Lai Ching-te's previous visit and emphasized that Taiwan will never back down when faced with a specific country extending its political reach into international aviation and economic and trade fields.
Louis Cheick Sissoko, Chairperson of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU ECOSOCC), posted on Facebook on the 3rd, stating his indignation at recent international developments, especially regarding airspace overflight permit issues involving Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar. This situation, he noted, reflects a crucial fundamental principle: national sovereignty is inviolable.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release this morning, stating its deep agreement with Sissoko's firm stance in defending the sovereignty of African nations and rejecting undue interference from external forces. It also highly affirmed and thanked Sissoko for his concern regarding the postponement of President Lai's visit to the Kingdom of Eswatini due to the cancellation of overflight permits by some African countries, and for his public call for all nations to maintain autonomy over their airspace.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that Sissoko explicitly emphasized in his post that national sovereignty is inviolable and called for respect for each nation's autonomy in choosing cooperation partners. His statement not only served as strong support for the obstruction of President Lai's earlier visit but also precisely highlighted the core issue of external intervention bullying the weak, fully demonstrating African opinion leaders' firm belief in resisting external forces and defending international fairness and justice.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that as the dialogue mechanism between the African Union and African civil society, Sissoko's remarks clearly represent an awakening of African civil society to the phenomenon of external hegemonic dominance in Africa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that the Republic of China (Taiwan), African nations, and the African Union all highly value national sovereignty and autonomy, and are committed to establishing equal and mutually beneficial international relations. Facing a specific country extending its political reach into international aviation and economic and trade fields, intending to disrupt international norms, Taiwan will never back down. It will continue to deepen cooperation with African friendly nations and friends, jointly defend the principle of equal interaction, and resolutely resist all forms of diplomatic coercion, working hand in hand to safeguard an international order based on respect and trust. (Edited by Su Chih-chung) 1150504