Taiwan has formally opened its representative office in Somaliland to strengthen cooperation with the East African country.
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 after a civil war in Somalia.
At a plaque-unveiling ceremony on Monday, President Tsai Ing-wen said through a pre-recorded video that the bilateral ties are based on shared values of freedom, democracy, justice, and the rule of law.
In her Facebook post on Monday, Tsai said Somaliland is a young but vibrant democracy with rich natural resources. She said setting up representative offices is the first step to strengthen cooperation.
Through a video link, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Taiwan and Somaliland have started cooperation in health, medicine, education, maritime safety since 2009. Wu and his Somaliland counterpart Yasin Hagi Mohamoud also signed a technical cooperation agreement.
Mohamoud said now is the best time to strengthen bilateral ties given the increasing importance of the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.