The article “Somaliland-Taiwan-United States: The Opportunities and Challenges Ahead” discusses the relationship between Somaliland, Taiwan, and the United States, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
Key Points:
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Somaliland’s Status: Somaliland is an unrecognized state that meets the Montevideo criteria for statehood, which include having a permanent population, a defined territory, a government, and the ability to enter into international agreements. It exercises sovereignty but lacks international recognition.
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International Relations: Despite not being recognized as a state, Somaliland has established relations with several countries that accept its passports and have set up representative offices in Somaliland. This signals a recognition of its de facto sovereignty.
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Somaliland-Taiwan Partnership: Somaliland and Taiwan share a mutual interest in gaining international recognition and face threats from larger neighbors. They have established a growing partnership characterized by high-level meetings and agreements in various sectors, particularly fisheries, infrastructure, and health.
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Taiwan’s Support: Taiwan has co-financed infrastructure projects in Somaliland and pledged funds for a medical center, indicating a commitment to supporting Somaliland’s development and stability, which can enhance the living standards of its people.
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U.S. Strategy and Interest: The U.S. may shift its approach to Somaliland under the incoming Trump administration, potentially recognizing it due to its democratic governance and strategic location near the Gulf of Aden. The U.S. is also interested in Somaliland’s energy and mineral resources.
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Opportunities for Collaboration: The evolving relationships among Somaliland, Taiwan, and the U.S. present opportunities to strengthen political, economic, and security initiatives. All parties recognize the need to address common threats while leveraging their strategic interests.
In summary, the future of Somaliland’s international relationships, especially with Taiwan and the U.S., is poised for development, contingent on mutual benefits and strategic cooperation to counter authoritarian influences in the region.
The complete piece is as follows:
Somaliland-Taiwan-United States: The Opportunities and Challenges Ahead
By Michele Maresca
Somaliland is an unrecognized state that possesses the 4 Montevideo criteria for Statehood: a) a permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) a government; and (d) the capacity to enter into agreements with other States.
In essence, the Horn of Africa State possesses both the internal and external independence for Statehood, given that it exercises its sovereign authority over a specific territory (internal independence) in accordance with the powers established in a Constitution which is not dependent on other States’ sources of law (external independence).
Since the existence of a State is not to be based on a legal recognition from the international community, but rather on the effective capacity to act as a sovereign entity according to the Montevideo criteria for Statehood, we could take into account several evidences of Somaliland’s sovereign status.
First of all, many States, including the UK, the US, Djibouti, Kenya, and Ethiopia, recognize Somaliland’s passports, thus demonstrating their understanding of the situation on the ground. Even though they are yet to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign State, the very fact of accepting this reality stands as proof of a non-monolithic policy towards Hargeisa.
Moreover, several States decided to establish a representative office in Somaliland, notably the following ones: the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, France, Norway, Belgium, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, South Sudan, and Taiwan. In this way, they set the stage for improving and strengthening bilateral yet unofficial ties with Somaliland.
Somaliland-Taiwan relations: an alliance based on common values and understanding
A brilliant example of a growing partnership based on common values, understandings, and purposes is the one between Somaliland and Taiwan, two countries struggling for recognition in a very complex environment.
Like the African nation, Taiwan also perceives the threat of a neighboring state, in this case a modern-day superpower, the People’s Republic of China. The stage for a closer relationship was set during Bihi’s administration when the then-President of Somaliland refused China’s offer to advance unofficial relations at the expense of Taiwan.
This happened, in 2020, when Somaliland and Taiwan were set to open representative offices in the other’s territory. The PRC’s reaction, consisting on trying to torpedo the deal by offering economic aid and the opening of a Chinese Mission to Somaliland, was met with a firm stance by Muse Bihi.
The then-president of Somaliland refused to comply with the Chinese government’s expectations due to not being treated as an equal. It sparked contrasts with the Taiwanese counterpart’s attitude, marked instead by the willingness to engage with Somaliland on equal terms.
In the last 4 years, Somaliland and Taiwan strengthened their relationship through several high-level meetings and bilateral MoUs or agreements.
An area of common interest is given by fisheries, with the two countries having a meeting in 2023 with the aim of exploring the potential for support, knowledge sharing, and initiatives designed to maximize the socio-economic benefits of marine resources while maintaining long-term viability.
Recently, Taiwan co-sponsored, covering 70% of the total cost, the Taiwan Road construction project connecting the Egal International Airport to the capital Hargeisa.
Taipei also pledged $22 million for the construction of the “Taiwan Medical Center” inside the main Hargeisa Group Hospital.
As Mr. Ibrahim Dhamac (the Director of the Research and Market Analysis Department at the Ministry of Investment of Somaliland) told me, this is just “the beginning of a valuable relationship” that can expand into “other critical sectors, including education, technology and agriculture”.
Abdullahi Irro, the current Somaliland President, met with Taiwan Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu at the sidelines of his presidential inauguration in December. During the meeting, Irro underscored that “Taiwan is a key partner” to collaborate with in many fields, including telecom, education, and public health.
By pointing out that the ongoing “projects had helped raise the living standards of the people of Somaliland”, he gave us the key to understanding how the relationship between the two countries may unfold.
Waddani Party, to which Irro does belong to, regards advanced water management systems, cybersecurity, public health, and renewable energy development as some of the most pressing issues to deal with in the next months and years.
Taiwan holds the capacity to strengthen its ties with Somaliland by providing it with the necessary expertise to allow it advancing its interests in many areas.
Amongst them is energy, with Taipei keen on engaging with Somaliland’s energy industry. In this context, there is an important window of opportunity for closer relations on a sensitive topic for both parties.
Somaliland already signed a mineral resources agreement with Taiwan Energy and Mineral Resources Cooperation Agreement for the exploration and drilling of energy and mineral resources. In 2023, CPC and the United Kingdom-based Genel Energy PLC decided to establish a partnership to explore oil in Somaliland with the former taking a 49-percent working interest in the African country’s SL10B/13 oil exploration block.
The US strategy in the Horn of Africa amid the competition with China
Moustafa Ahmad, a researcher who is currently investigating China and Taiwan’s engagement in the Horn of Africa, stressed the potential role the US could play out within this scenario. He told me that although US interest in Somaliland is primarily security and strategic, nonetheless mineral resources could be explored.
The incoming Trump administration, which is expected to consider recognizing Somaliland due to its strong democratic commitments and strategic location in the Gulf of Aden, could in fact place importance to the energy and mineral resources sector.
This is just one of the several areas where the parties can deepen their partnership since both Somaliland and Taiwan use strategic interests, economic and democratic factors to leverage their relations with Washington, Ahmad said.
An important indication of that is Mohammed Hagi’s appointment as “Advisor to the President for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation”. Hagi, the first Ambassador of the Republic of Somaliland to Taiwan, played a significant role in advancing and strengthening bilateral ties between the countries.
Taiwan quickly congratulated him while underscoring the country’s willingness to “continue working together to further solidify Taiwan-Somaliland mutually beneficial causes and cooperation”.
When it comes to the US, closer relations between Hargeisa and Taipei fit well into its strategy to compete with China. As Moustafa said, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear that promoting ties with Taiwan has been on the agenda of Irro’s first meeting with the United States Ambassador to Somalia.
According to Politico, Trump is set to appoint the former “US Special Envoy to the Sahel and Great Lakes regions”, Peter Pham, as the top “US State Department official overseeing African affairs”. He is a vocal supporter of Somaliland, having repeatedly advocated for its recognition as a stepping stone to enhanced stability in the Horn.
This expected appointment would further signal the United States’ willingness to look at Somaliland relations through the lens of mutual benefit. This can lay the foundations for a significant shift from the “One Somalia policy” to a proactive approach towards Somaliland.
Aware of the opportunities and challenges ahead, the United States, Taiwan, and Somaliland should act with foresight by focusing on what is needed to counter authoritarian-derived threats through political, economic, and security initiatives to carry out in the present and future times.