MOGADISHU, Somalia – Former Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi has said the government’s recent decision to stop recognizing Taiwanese passport was directly linked to a planned visit by a senior Taiwanese delegation to the breakaway region of Somaliland.
Speaking during a handover ceremony in Mogadishu today, Fiqi said the move followed reports that Taiwan’s Foreign Minister was expected to travel to Somaliland without the consent of Somalia’s federal government.
“The visit was planned without any coordination with the Somali state, which considers such actions a breach of its sovereignty,” Fiqi said. He added that the Somali government viewed the planned trip as a serious provocation.
Fiqi accused Taiwan of promoting a “dangerous separatist ideology” in northern Somalia, and described the Taiwanese administration as a “threat” to Somalia’s unity.
Somalia, which does not maintain official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, has repeatedly criticized Taipei’s growing relationship with Somaliland. The two unrecognized states established representative offices in each other’s capitals in 2020, a move that angered Mogadishu.
“The government cannot tolerate actions that support division and undermine the territorial integrity of Somalia,” Fiqi said.
The ban on Taiwanese travel documents was announced last week by Somalia’s immigration authorities, but the government had not previously provided a detailed explanation.
There has been no immediate response from Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or from Somaliland officials regarding Fiqi’s comments.
