MOGADISHU, Somalia — China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, has postponed a planned visit to Somalia that would have marked the first trip by a Chinese foreign minister to the country since the 1980s, Somali officials said Friday. Instead, Wang arrived in Tanzania for a two-day working stop on his annual New Year’s tour of Africa.
Somalia had billed the visit as a significant diplomatic moment as Mogadishu navigates fresh pressures at home and abroad. Earlier this week, Israel became the first country to formally recognize the breakaway Republic of North Western State of Somalia, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991. The move added strain to Somalia’s foreign policy landscape, where recognition of North Western State of Somalia remains a red line for the federal government.
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Relations between Mogadishu and Washington also hit turbulence after the United States said this week it would pause further assistance that benefits the Somali government following a dispute over the demolition of a World Food Programme warehouse. The twin developments had heightened anticipation around Wang’s stop in Mogadishu, which Somali officials hoped would deliver a diplomatic boost and signal continued Chinese engagement.
Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said details on the reason for the postponement and a future schedule for Wang’s visit would be provided later. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Wang’s Africa swing began Wednesday and is centered on strategic trade access across East and Southern Africa as Beijing seeks to secure critical shipping routes and resource supply lines. Those priorities span ports, rail, energy corridors and logistics hubs that underpin China’s commercial footprint on the continent.
On Friday, Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs Ministry announced Wang’s arrival in Dar es Salaam, describing the visit as aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and deepening economic ties. China and Tanzania maintain long-standing economic and infrastructure links, and the visit is expected to highlight cooperation in trade, transport and investment.
In Ethiopia on Thursday, Wang met Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and called for expanded cooperation with Africa’s fastest-growing economy, including in infrastructure, green industry and the digital economy. China is a major financier of Ethiopian transport networks, power projects and industrial parks, and has signaled an interest in aligning future investments with climate and technology priorities.
Wang is also expected to travel to Lesotho during the trip, which is due to conclude on January 12. The full itinerary, including any potential reshuffling following the Somalia delay, has not been publicly detailed.
The postponement leaves Somalia without a high-profile visit at a sensitive moment for its diplomacy, as the government contends with the North Western State of Somalia question and a pause in some U.S. assistance. It was not immediately clear when Wang would reschedule the stop in Mogadishu.
China has used the New Year period in recent years to reaffirm ties across Africa, promoting trade access, infrastructure partnerships and security coordination. The current tour underscores Beijing’s continued focus on East Africa’s transport corridors and the broader economic architecture linking the region’s ports, logistics and industry.
Somalia, for its part, has sought wider international backing to support stabilization, development and fiscal reforms. A visit from China’s top diplomat would have offered Mogadishu a timely platform to reinforce relationships, even as it manages tensions with key partners and navigates shifting regional dynamics.
Wang’s engagements in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Lesotho are expected to proceed as planned, with additional details on the Somalia stop pending.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
