Somalia Government Bans the Use of Taiwan Passports for Entry and Transit
The Somalia government has notified all airlines and stakeholders that passports and related travel documents issued by Taiwan are no longer valid for entry and transit in the Federal Republic of Somalia. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) issued a strong protest on the 29th and urged its citizens not to travel to Somalia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) released a press release on the 29th, stating that the Somalia Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) announced on April 22 that the Somalia government, in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, adheres to the “One China” principle. Therefore, all airlines, operators, and stakeholders were notified that as of April 30, passports and related travel documents issued by Taiwan or its affiliated agencies are no longer valid for entry and transit in the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The Republic of China (Taiwan) Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized its strong protest against Somalia’s action to restrict the freedom and safety of Taiwanese travelers under the instigation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the announcement. The Ministry strongly condemned Somalia’s misinterpretation of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 and its association with the so-called “One China principle” aimed at creating the illusion that Taiwan belongs to the People’s Republic of China.
Furthermore, the Republic of China (Taiwan) Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland will jointly request like-minded countries and international organizations to take concrete actions to revoke this erroneous practice.”
The Republic of China (Taiwan) Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Republic of Somaliland until the Somalia government withdraws the aforementioned announcement in order to ensure the safety and convenience of Taiwanese travelers.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) mentioned that since declaring independence in 1991, the Republic of Somaliland has held four presidential elections, maintaining political stability and deepening democracy, sharing similar values of democracy and freedom with Taiwan. The Somalia government’s aggressive behavior of controlling the Somaliland airspace to prevent people from democratic countries from interacting with each other has had a detrimental impact on the situation in the Horn of Africa. If there are any further developments in this case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will promptly provide clarification.