Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of February 9, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation led by Republic of Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Essa Kayd Mohamoud. In remarks, President Tsai said that establishing representative offices in each other's countries in 2020 has allowed Taiwan and Somaliland to become closer friends, and expressed hope that our ties can continue to deepen and produce further beneficial results. The president also said that Taiwan will work with Somaliland and other nations to build a resilient disease prevention system and further contribute to the international community and its efforts to fight the pandemic.

A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:

It is a pleasure to welcome Minister Essa, who is leading a delegation to Taiwan for the first time. Taiwan has made a number of diplomatic breakthroughs in the past few years, not least of which is our new friendship in Africa with Somaliland.

Taiwan and Somaliland are like-minded partners who share the values of democracy and freedom. Establishing representative offices in each other's nations in 2020 has allowed us to grow from being new friends to close friends, and Somaliland is now an important location in East Africa for Taiwan's Africa Project. Taiwan and Somaliland have also developed extensive cooperation and exchanges in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, education, and energy in recent years.

During the pandemic, we have also enhanced cooperation in public health. Taiwan's civil society, private sector, and government agencies continue to provide Somaliland with disease prevention supplies, and a shipment of 150,000 doses of our domestically developed Medigen vaccine recently arrived in Somaliland. In fact, this was the first time Taiwan donated vaccines overseas.

Over the past two years, Taiwan has provided disease prevention supplies to other countries, and when we faced a domestic surge in cases last year, Taiwan received support from other countries in acquiring vaccines. It is our hope that this virtuous cycle of mutual assistance will continue. Looking ahead, Taiwan will join forces with Somaliland and other nations to build a resilient disease prevention system and further contribute to the international community and its efforts to fight the pandemic.

Considering the pandemic situation, I would especially like to thank our guests for visiting at this challenging time. Your trip attests to the importance that the government of Somaliland places on Taiwan. Minister Essa, please send my sincere regards to President Muse Bihi Abdi. We look forward to a visit from President Bihi to Taiwan in the future, and to the deepening of our ties, which will bear even more beneficial results.

Minister Essa then delivered remarks, expressing gratitude on behalf of his delegation for the warm and courteous hospitality they have received since their arrival. He stated that this historic visit marks an important milestone in the strong and cordial relationship between our two countries. The minister said that Somaliland and Taiwan share the common values and principles of good political and democratic governance, have vibrant free market economies, respect fundamental rights, have transparent and open systems of government, and enjoy the freedoms of association and expression.

Minister Essa noted that as a sovereign nation, Somaliland's right to engage in peaceful and friendly foreign relations with all other nations is enshrined in international law, and all coercive or threatening measures to deny such collaboration between international partners not only represent affronts to the principles, protocols, and norms on which the international order is based, but do little to promote the peace and security that the region and the world require. The minister said that this visit by such a high-level Somaliland delegation is not just symbolic, it also signifies our mutual determination and resolve to upscale, expand, and deepen our friendship and cooperation for the mutual benefit of our two countries.

Minister Essa stated that Taiwan has a well-developed high-tech sector, robust economy, and diverse cultures, and that Taiwan's advancement of technology as well as the new wave of its industrial revolution provide avenues for Somaliland's new infrastructure network to feed directly into wider regional and international trading systems. The minister also highlighted opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration, particularly in trade and investment.

In closing, Minister Essa thanked Taiwan for supporting Somaliland in combating the global outbreak and meeting the imminent challenges of COVID-19. He also expressed gratitude to Taiwan for providing assistance in the areas of agriculture, ICT, democracy, medical care, and public health services.

Also present at the meeting were Somaliland Minister of Finance Development Saad Ali Shire, Minister of Planning and National Development Omar Ali Abdilahi, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries Saeed Sulub Mohamed, and Representative to Taiwan Mohamed Omar Hagi Mohamoud.