By: Mohamed Duale
HARGEISA, March 16 (HornDiplomat) — Taiwan has awarded security scholarships to seven officers from Somaliland’s national army and police force, in a program aimed at strengthening professional skills and enhancing security cooperation between the two partners.
The officers, drawn from the Somaliland National Armed Forces and the Somaliland Police, will travel to Taiwan to undertake advanced studies and professional training at universities and specialized institutions focused on security and defense.
The scholarships were formally presented during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Defense in Hargeisa, attended by senior Somaliland officials and Taiwan’s representative to Somaliland.
Among those present were Somaliland Minister of Defense Mohamed Yusuf Ali, Minister of the Presidency Khadar Hussein Abdi, Commander of the Somaliland National Army Brigadier General Nimcaan Yusuf Gaaxnuug, Police Commissioner Brigadier General Abdirahman Abdillahi Hassan, and Director General of the Ministry of Defense Mahmoud Abdirizak Abdi.
Also attending the ceremony was Taiwan’s Representative to Somaliland, Allen Lou, who congratulated the officers and highlighted the growing partnership between Taiwan and Somaliland.
“Glad to join the Minister of Defense and the Minister of the Presidency in awarding the 2026 Taiwan Security Scholarship. My sincere congratulations to this year’s recipients to join the growing Taiwan–Somaliland team,” Lou said.
Lou said cooperation between Taiwan and Somaliland has increasingly become a model of partnership in the Horn of Africa.
“Taiwan–Somaliland cooperation has become a template in the Horn of Africa. As a diplomatic leverage, catalyst, facilitator, and leading indicator, Taiwan welcomes more democratic like-minded partners to come onboard and looks forward to working with them on trilateral, quadrilateral and even multilateral cooperation,” he said.
Officials said the scholarship program is designed to enhance the knowledge, skills and professional expertise of Somaliland security officers, enabling them to contribute to the development of the country’s defense and security institutions.
