Somaliland Joins Taiwan-Led Disaster Alliance as Founding Member

By: Mohamed Duale

TAIPEI, Sept. 19 (Horndiplomat) — Somaliland has joined the World Alliance for Disaster Management (WADM) as a founding member, its foreign ministry said on Saturday, giving it a place in a new Taiwan-led network for disaster preparedness and emergency response.

“The Republic of Somaliland proudly joins the World Alliance for Disaster Management (WADM) as a founding member, marking a significant milestone in Somaliland’s international multilateral engagement,” the ministry said.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te formally launched the alliance at an international forum in Taipei. He said Somaliland, 11 of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies and Taiwan were its founding members. The alliance plans to organise joint training and exercises, share information and coordinate assistance before, during and after disasters, according to Taiwan’s presidential office.

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Somaliland was represented by a delegation led by Interior and Security Minister Abdalle Mohamed Arab. It also included Mohamed Abdirahman Hassan, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Brigadier General Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, known as Sawahili, commander of the Somaliland Fire Brigade.

Somaliland’s representative to Taiwan, Mahmoud Adam Jama Galaal, welcomed the delegation to Taipei. He said its members were also scheduled to meet Taiwanese ministries and government agencies to discuss closer cooperation and institutional partnerships.

Lai said government bodies and disaster management organisations from 21 other countries would participate in the alliance as observers or partners.

(Reporting by HornDiplomat  News Desk)