Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Meets with Somaliland’s New Envoy in Taipei

Taipei: Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung met with Somaliland's new representative to Taipei, Mahmoud Adam Jama Galaal, expressing hopes for strengthened bilateral ties in the future, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). According to Focus Taiwan, MOFA announced in a press release that the envoy from the East African region submitted a letter of appointment signed by Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adam Bakal during his meeting with Lin, marking the completion of official procedures for assuming office. Galaal, appointed by the new Somaliland government following President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi's swearing-in on December 12, 2024, arrived in Taipei at the end of January. In his remarks, Lin welcomed Galaal to Taiwan and expressed Taipei's eagerness to continue promoting bilateral collaboration in multiple fields, including education, healthcare, agriculture, information and communications, security, and energy resources. Lin described Somaliland as a partner and emphasized Taiwan's readiness to assist the African territory in its development by sharing Taiwan's best practices in promoting innovative solutions, as noted in the release. The release also cited Galaal expressing a similar perspective, highlighting Somaliland's eagerness to collaborate with Taiwan on maritime security, energy resources, technology, and trade. The envoy thanked Taiwan for funding various projects in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, including the expansion of the main road connecting Egal International Airport to the city center and the construction of a medical center at the Hargeisa Group Hospital. In 2024, Taiwan committed US$1.85 million for the road project and US$22 million for the medical center. According to MOFA, Galaal has extensive experience working in Somaliland's government, having headed the ministries of health, planning, and national development, and served as Somaliland's ambassador to Ethiopia. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has functioned as a de facto sovereign state ever since, though it is not officially recognized as a nation by any country. Ties between Taiwan and Somaliland have warmed since the two sides established representative offices in each other's capitals in 2020.