【臺北訊】蔡英文總統今（9）日上午接見「索馬利蘭共和國外交暨國際合作部部長瑞格薩（Essa Kayd Mohamoud）訪團」。總統表示，前年兩國互設代表處以來，新朋友已經變成好朋友，並盼兩國關係持續深化，共同創造更多成果。她也希望未來和索馬利蘭以及其他國家一起努力，建立具有韌性的防疫體系，為國際社會、全球防疫做出更多的貢獻。
總統致詞時首先歡迎瑞格薩部長第一次率團訪問臺灣。並表示，這幾年來，臺灣外交有許多突破，其中一項就是我們在非洲交到新朋友—索馬利蘭。
總統指出，臺灣和索馬利蘭共享民主自由的價值，是理念相近的夥伴。前年兩國互設代表處以來，新朋友已經變成好朋友， 索馬利蘭成為臺灣在東非地區推展「非洲計畫」的重要據點。過去幾年來，無論是在農業、漁業、或是教育、能源等領域，臺灣和索馬利蘭有許多的合作交流。
總統提到，疫情期間，兩國也加強醫療衛生合作。除了臺灣的民間團體和政府單位，陸續提供防疫物資給索馬利蘭，近來，我們國產的高端疫苗15萬劑，也已經運抵索馬利蘭，「這是臺灣疫苗援外的首例」。
總統說，過去兩年多來，臺灣提供其他國家防疫物資。去年，臺灣疫情嚴峻的時候，在疫苗取得上，也獲得其他國家的支持。她希望相互協助的精神、善的循環能夠持續下去。未來，臺灣會和索馬利蘭以及其他國家一起努力，建立具有韌性的防疫體系，為國際社會、全球防疫做出更多的貢獻。
總統感謝訪賓們在疫情考驗下來訪，更展現出索馬利蘭政府對臺灣的重視。她也請瑞格薩部長向阿布迪（Muse Bihi Abdi）總統，轉達來自臺灣的問候，非常歡迎阿布迪總統未來訪問臺灣，讓兩國關係持續深化，共同創造更多成果。
隨後，瑞格薩部長致詞時，首先對本次訪團受到的溫暖歡迎及接待表達感謝之意，此行也代表著二國友好關係的重要里程碑。瑞格薩部長說，索馬利蘭與臺灣共享許多價值及原則，包括良好的政治及民主治理、自由市場經濟、對基本人權的尊重、公開透明的政府體系及言論自由。
瑞格薩部長指出，索馬利蘭是主權國家，依據國際法有權與其他國家建立和平、友好的外交關係，任何試圖阻止這樣夥伴關係的脅迫性、威脅性措施，不僅冒犯國際秩序的原則及常規，更是無助於推展區域及世界所需要的和平、穩定及安全。此次索馬利蘭高層級訪團來臺，不僅具有象徵性，更是印證希望可以提升、拓展及深化兩國友誼及合作關係的決心，期盼能為兩國創造更多利益。
瑞格薩部長說，臺灣擁有非常先進的高科技產業、欣欣向榮的經濟及多元文化，臺灣的科技進展及新一波的工業革命，都提供了許多機會，讓索馬利蘭的新建基礎設施網絡可以與區域及國際貿易體系連結。另一方面，索馬利蘭在貿易與投資領域具有許多潛力，在礦物、漁業、農業及觀光服務業等領域也有很多機會，希望能帶動更多臺灣到非洲的貿易及投資，相信透過深化合作，可以創造更多的雙邊利益。
最後，瑞格薩部長感謝臺灣協助索馬利蘭對抗此次全球疫情，克服Covid-19的種種挑戰；對於臺灣提供農業、資通訊、民主發展、醫療衛生、公衛服務等領域的協助，瑞格薩部長也再次表達感謝之意。
訪賓一行尚包括索國財政發展部部長希瑞（Saad Ali Shire）、計畫暨國家發展部部長阿卜杜拉（Omar Ali Abdilahi）、畜牧暨漁業發展部部長穆合德（Saeed Sulub Mohamed）及駐臺代表穆姆德（Mohamed Omar H. Mohamoud）等，由外交部長吳釗燮陪同，前來總統府晉見總統，總統府秘書長李大維也在座。
President Tsai meets Somaliland Foreign Minister Essa Kayd Mohamoud
On the morning of February 9, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation led by Republic of Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Essa Kayd Mohamoud. In remarks, President Tsai said that establishing representative offices in each other’s countries in 2020 has allowed Taiwan and Somaliland to become closer friends, and expressed hope that our ties can continue to deepen and produce further beneficial results. The president also said that Taiwan will work with Somaliland and other nations to build a resilient disease prevention system and further contribute to the international community and its efforts to fight the pandemic.
A translation of President Tsai’s remarks follows:
It is a pleasure to welcome Minister Essa, who is leading a delegation to Taiwan for the first time. Taiwan has made a number of diplomatic breakthroughs in the past few years, not least of which is our new friendship in Africa with Somaliland.
Taiwan and Somaliland are like-minded partners who share the values of democracy and freedom. Establishing representative offices in each other’s nations in 2020 has allowed us to grow from being new friends to close friends, and Somaliland is now an important location in East Africa for Taiwan’s Africa Project. Taiwan and Somaliland have also developed extensive cooperation and exchanges in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, education, and energy in recent years.
During the pandemic, we have also enhanced cooperation in public health. Taiwan’s civil society, private sector, and government agencies continue to provide Somaliland with disease prevention supplies, and a shipment of 150,000 doses of our domestically developed Medigen vaccine recently arrived in Somaliland. In fact, this was the first time Taiwan donated vaccines overseas.
Over the past two years, Taiwan has provided disease prevention supplies to other countries, and when we faced a domestic surge in cases last year, Taiwan received support from other countries in acquiring vaccines. It is our hope that this virtuous cycle of mutual assistance will continue. Looking ahead, Taiwan will join forces with Somaliland and other nations to build a resilient disease prevention system and further contribute to the international community and its efforts to fight the pandemic.
Considering the pandemic situation, I would especially like to thank our guests for visiting at this challenging time. Your trip attests to the importance that the government of Somaliland places on Taiwan. Minister Essa, please send my sincere regards to President Muse Bihi Abdi. We look forward to a visit from President Bihi to Taiwan in the future, and to the deepening of our ties, which will bear even more beneficial results.
Minister Essa then delivered remarks, expressing gratitude on behalf of his delegation for the warm and courteous hospitality they have received since their arrival. He stated that this historic visit marks an important milestone in the strong and cordial relationship between our two countries. The minister said that Somaliland and Taiwan share the common values and principles of good political and democratic governance, have vibrant free market economies, respect fundamental rights, have transparent and open systems of government, and enjoy the freedoms of association and expression.
Minister Essa noted that as a sovereign nation, Somaliland’s right to engage in peaceful and friendly foreign relations with all other nations is enshrined in international law, and all coercive or threatening measures to deny such collaboration between international partners not only represent affronts to the principles, protocols, and norms on which the international order is based, but do little to promote the peace and security that the region and the world require. The minister said that this visit by such a high-level Somaliland delegation is not just symbolic, it also signifies our mutual determination and resolve to upscale, expand, and deepen our friendship and cooperation for the mutual benefit of our two countries.
Minister Essa stated that Taiwan has a well-developed high-tech sector, robust economy, and diverse cultures, and that Taiwan’s advancement of technology as well as the new wave of its industrial revolution provide avenues for Somaliland’s new infrastructure network to feed directly into wider regional and international trading systems. The minister also highlighted opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration, particularly in trade and investment.
In closing, Minister Essa thanked Taiwan for supporting Somaliland in combating the global outbreak and meeting the imminent challenges of COVID-19. He also expressed gratitude to Taiwan for providing assistance in the areas of agriculture, ICT, democracy, medical care, and public health services.
Also present at the meeting were Somaliland Minister of Finance Development Saad Ali Shire, Minister of Planning and National Development Omar Ali Abdilahi, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries Saeed Sulub Mohamed, and Representative to Taiwan Mohamed Omar Hagi Mohamoud.