The U.S. Gov’t on Tuesday announced that the Somali Federal Gov’t has reversed its decision in which it previously imposed ban on entry and transit of Taiwanese passport holders as it has restricted the visit that Taiwanese Foreign Minister will embark to Somaliland.
Troy Fitrell, a senior officer at the U.S. State Department who briefed on the U.S. Upper House of Congress has revealed that the Somali Federal has lifted the ban it imposed on entry and transit of Taiwanese passport holders.
He said: “I am pleased that the Somali Federal Gov’t has lifted the ban, goand at the same time commenced to respect Taiwanese passport.”
He went on to say that every country which meddles Taiwanese Foreign Relations is sending a clear message that it does not want to deal with the free world, and at the same time does not intend to have relations with the United States.
He also sent a stern warning to every country that meddles the affairs of Taiwan. He told that may jeopardize the relations that the country has with Washington.
He said: “Taiwan is a responsible member of the world; Therefore, Taiwan ties is crucial. There are countries that are siding with the Chinese gov’t and putting Taiwan in trouble. The way they treat with Taiwan send a clear message which tells that they are not useful to the free world. It is also putting a question mark over the relationship that they have with the U.S.”
Some of the U.S. Congress Members have disclosed that the Chinese support to Somalia directly involves with groups that are staunchly against Somaliland in which they termed Somaliland as a close ally to the U.S., the West and Israel have in the Horn of Africa.
The U.S. Congress members have questioned the senior officer at the State Department what is in place when it comes to the U.S. having direct relations with Somaliland. They stated that this will be vital in a bid to prevent the Chinese expansion in the region. Fitrell has said that they will work with everyone that deals with the free world.
Once Somalia imposed the travel ban on Taiwanese passport, some of the U.S. Congress members threatened that Somalia gave up the ties it has with the United States. Diplomats close to Trump administration said that the Taipei Act which was passed in 2020 was used as a vehicle to put U.S. pressure on Somalia.
China has welcomed the ban that Somalia previously imposed on entry and transit of Taiwanese passport holders. Taiwan also responded in which it imposed travel ban on Somali passport holders.
The Chinese and Somali governments are exerting maximum pressure to undermine the growing diplomatic ties between Somaliland and Taiwan which commenced in 2020 while the two governments believe that Hargeisa and Taipei are under the control of Mogadishu and Beijing.
