Hargeysa(Mogadishu24)-Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister François Wu arrived in Hargeisa on Wednesday to attend the inauguration of Somaliland’s President-elect Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi. Wu is serving as a special envoy for Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te.

Wu and his delegation were warmly welcomed at the airport by Somaliland’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Rhoda Jama Elmi, Somaliland’s representative to Taiwan Mohamed Omar Hagi Mohamoud, and Khadar Hussein Abdi, a member of the new government’s transition team.

The inauguration ceremony, scheduled for Thursday, marks Abdullahi’s official swearing-in as Somaliland’s sixth president since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991. The 69-year-old Abdullahi, also known as Abdirahman Mohamed Irro, won a decisive 64 percent of the vote in the November 13 election, defeating incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi, who secured 35 percent.

During his visit, Wu is also set to hold meetings with outgoing President Muse Bihi Abdi and other senior Somaliland officials to strengthen ties between Taiwan and Somaliland.

Strengthening Taiwan-Somaliland Relations

Taiwan and Somaliland have enjoyed warm relations since 2020, when the two sides established representative offices in each other’s capitals. Despite their shared status as de facto sovereign entities—Taiwan being claimed by China and Somaliland remaining unrecognized internationally as part of Somalia—the partnership reflects mutual cooperation in trade, education, and development initiatives.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) highlighted that Wu’s presence at the inauguration underscores Taiwan’s ongoing commitment to fostering bilateral ties with Somaliland.

The event is seen as significant for both regions, as it reflects their shared quest for recognition and mutual interest in diplomatic and economic collaboration despite international challenges.