While a number of African countries over the past week have telegraphed their support of Beijing’s One China Policy, few have reached Somalia’s level of enthusiasm. For Mogadishu, the Taiwan issue hits closer to home than for many other African countries.
Like the Chinese with Taiwan, Somalia contends that the breakaway region of Somaliland is an inalienable part of their country. Taiwan and Somaliland have moved quickly over the past year to build mutual ties, with high-level visits and the opening of trade offices in each other’s capitals.