How Taiwan found a new African friend in Somaliland

The relationship between the two largely unrecognised states has given Taipei a foothold in the region despite Beijing’s attempts to freeze it out

The two self-ruled democracies are largely unrecognised on the world stage, but can support each others’ international ambitions

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Somaliland declared independence in 1991. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:00pm, 16 Aug 2020Updated: 9:11am, 17 Aug 2020

“Somaliland, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

The allusion to the closing scene of the Hollywood classic Casablanca, came in a tweet earlier this month from Taiwanese government spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka discussing the burgeoning relationship between the two largely unrecognised states.

In July the two governments announced that they had signed a treaty earlier in the year to establish representative offices in each others’ capitals.

The move marked a breakthrough for two self-governing democracies that are largely unrecognised by the rest of the world.

Taiwan now has just 15 official diplomatic allies as Beijing moves to choke off its diplomatic space, while Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 in the middle of Somalia’s civil war, is not recognised by any country.

Beijing has been steadily increasing its influence in the Horn of Africa and has made repeated attempts to prevent Taiwan moving closer to Somaliland.

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