The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday demanded that Somalia reverse its decision prohibiting Taiwanese passport holders from entering or transiting through the country.
Somalia said it is following the “one China” principle based on UN Resolution 2758.
The ministry said that Somalia is misinterpreting the resolution under China’s instigation, creating a false impression that Taiwan is subordinate to China.
Photo: Taipei Times
The Somali Civil Aviation Authority told airlines on Tuesday last week that starting today, any passengers with passports or travel documents issued from Taiwan or its affiliated institutions would not be allowed to enter or transit through Somalia.
The decision comes as Taiwan is boosting ties with Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia in 1991, but has not gained widespread international recognition for its independence.
Taiwan and Somaliland set up representative offices in each other's capitals in 2020.
The decision restricts Taiwanese people’s freedom and safety of travel, the ministry said.
It said it strongly refutes and condemns Somalia’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758 by linking it with the “one China” principle.
A number of countries, including the US, say that the UN resolution makes no mention of Taiwan's status and that China has deliberately misinterpreted it.
The ministry added that it is working with the government of Somaliland and Taiwan’s representative office there to urge like-minded countries and international organizations to take concrete steps to press Somalia to reverse this "wrongful action."
The ministry urged Taiwanese against traveling to Somalia or Somaliland for their own safety before Somalia reverses the policy.
Somaliland has had four presidential elections since it declared independence in 1991, showing that it has a stable government and shares values of democracy and liberty with Taiwan, the ministry said.
Somalia’s government is preventing people of democratic countries from interacting with each other by controlling Somaliland’s airspace, it added.
The ministry said it would keep the public updated if there are any further developments.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) hosted a dinner in Taipei last night with key Taiwanese suppliers to celebrate the successful mass production of the company’s new Blackwell AI systems. Speaking to the media earlier yesterday, Huang thanked Nvidia’s Taiwanese partners for their contributions to the company’s ecosystem, while also sharing his plans to meet with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀). In response to rumors that Nvidia will launch a downgraded Hopper H20 chip for China in July, Huang dismissed the reports, saying, “That is not true.” He clarified that there
RSS