Deputy FM arrives in Somaliland to attend presidential inauguration

Taipei, Dec. 11 (CNA) Taiwan's Deputy Foreign Minister François Wu (吳志中) is visiting Somaliland to attend President-elect Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi's inauguration ceremony, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Wednesday.

Serving as special envoy to President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Wu arrived in Somaliland's capital Hargeisa around Wednesday noon (local time) and was welcomed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Rhoda Jama Elmi, MOFA said in a press release.

Somaliland's representative to Taiwan Mohamed Omar Hagi Mohamoud and Khadar Hussein Abdi, a member of the new government's transition team, also accompanied Elmi to welcome Wu and his delegation, MOFA added.

Wu will attend Abdullahi's inauguration ceremony scheduled for Thursday to extend congratulations from Taiwan's government to the new Somaliland president, it said.

Wu will also meet with outgoing President Muse Bihi Abdi and other senior officials, it added.

The 69 year-old Abdullahi won 64 percent of the vote in the Nov. 13 presidential election to become Somaliland's sixth president since it broke away from Somalia in 1991.

The former speaker of Somaliland's parliament beat Muse Bihi, who took 35 percent of the vote.

Ties between Taiwan and Somaliland have warmed since the two sides set up representative offices in each other's capitals in 2020.

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has functioned as a de facto sovereign state ever since, but is not officially recognized by any other countries.