TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan think tank Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland’s Institute of Peace and Conflict (IPCS) on Friday (March 29), marking Taiwan’s first defense research cooperation in the Horn of Africa.
INDSR Acting Vice President Shen Ming-shih (沈明室) and IPCS Director Nasir M. Ali signed the memorandum via conference call, per CNA. Also, present was Deputy Representative to Somaliland Wu Chen-chi (吳鎮祺) and other IPCS researchers and scholars.
Ali said it is another milestone of cooperation between Taiwan and Somaliland. “Both sides will engage in joint research, publications, visits, and jointly organize international conferences and other academic activities,” the director said.
“Taiwan and Somaliland are both strategically located in geopolitically crucial positions, playing indispensable roles in regional peace and stability,” Ali said. “I look forward to deepening cooperation between the two sides in defense and security research.”
Shen said in an interview with CNA that Taiwan and Somaliland face changing regional and international situations. “In the future, there will be further interaction in research and information exchange on national security and regional security,” he said.
“As China’s activities in Africa become more frequent and its influence expands, the region around the Indian Ocean has become a key area of competition between the U.S., China, and India,” Shen said.
“Signing a memorandum of cooperation with the Somaliland think tank will extend the reach of Taiwan’s INDSR to the Horn of Africa and expand Taiwan’s influence in East Africa,” he added.
