Friday January 9, 2026
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at a press conference during the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, China September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Mogadishu (HOL) — A planned visit by China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, to Mogadishu was postponed Friday after Somalia’s capital was placed under heavy security restrictions ahead of his expected arrival, Somali officials said.
A senior official at Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Wang would not arrive as scheduled. No reason was given for the postponement, and neither Somali nor Chinese authorities announced a new date for the visit.
Somali officials said the measures had been put in place in preparation for what would have been the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister to Somalia in decades.
Wang began his annual New Year’s diplomatic tour of Africa earlier this week, a trip that traditionally underscores Beijing’s strategic focus on the continent. He arrived in Dar es Salaam on Friday for a two-day working visit, Tanzania’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on X, adding that the talks would focus on strengthening bilateral relations and deepening economic cooperation.
The Mogadishu stop had been expected to form part of Wang’s broader engagement with East and Southern African governments, though details of his itinerary were not publicly released. The visit would have been the first by a Chinese foreign minister to Somalia since the 1980s, highlighting a potential upgrade in diplomatic ties.
The postponement comes at a sensitive moment for Somalia, which is seeking to consolidate international support following Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland. Mogadishu has condemned the move as a violation of its sovereignty and has intensified diplomatic outreach to reinforce backing for its territorial integrity.
