How Taiwan found a new African friend in Somaliland

• The relationship between the two largely unrecognised states has given Taipei a foothold in the region despite Beijing’s attempts to freeze it out
• The two self-ruled democracies are largely unrecognised on the world stage, but can support each others’ international ambitionsHenc

South China Morning Post
Date: 16 Aug, 2020
By: Sarah Zheng and Kinling Lo

“Somaliland, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

The allusion to the closing scene of the Hollywood classic Casablanca, came in a tweet earlier this month from Taiwanese government spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka discussing the burgeoning relationship between the two largely unrecognised states.

In July the two governments announced that they had signed a treaty earlier in the year to establish representative offices in each others’ capitals.

The move marked a breakthrough for two self-governing democracies that are largely unrecognised by the rest of the world.

Taiwan now has just 15 official diplomatic allies as Beijing moves to choke off its diplomatic space, while Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 in the middle of Somalia’s civil war, is not recognised by any country.    [FULL  STORY]