Kenya has found itself at the centre of a diplomatic row after denying entry to delegates from Taiwan who were travelling to Mombasa for a major international conference.
The 11th Our Ocean Conference kicked off on June 16 in the coastal city of Mombasa. But even before the proceedings began, trouble was brewing for the Taiwanese delegation.
According to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a Taiwanese scholar who had been invited to attend a pre-conference academic event on June 14 was stopped by immigration officials at the venue. The scholar was reportedly told that her travel documents would not be recognised. Her passport and mobile phone were confiscated, and she was held for nearly 20 hours before authorities finally allowed her to board a flight out of the country.
The ministry claimed that two of its delegates were subjected to prolonged detention, with their passports and phones seized. Efforts by Taiwanese government offices in the region to intervene were unsuccessful, leaving the delegates stranded for several hours before they were released.
Taiwan's Oceans Affairs Council later announced it would withdraw from the conference entirely, citing concerns over the credibility and openness of the event.
The Taiwanese side has strongly criticised Kenya's actions, accusing the government of acting under pressure from China. Taiwan also accused Kenya of going against the principles of inclusivity and international cooperation that underpin the global ocean conference. "This is not diplomatic coldness, but unfair treatment of a professional team," said Kuan Bi-ling, the head of Taiwan's Oceans Affairs Council.
In response, Kenya's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Korir Sing'Oei stated that Kenya adheres to the One-China policy and does not recognise the Taiwan authorities. He emphasised that anyone holding a "Taiwan passport" would be in violation of Kenyan immigration laws. Kenya has long maintained diplomatic relations with China and has consistently upheld the One-China principle.
Taiwan has participated in the Our Ocean Conference since 2015 and argued that its exclusion overlooks years of contributions to global marine conservation and ocean governance. The Taiwanese side noted that at the 2025 conference in South Korea, they had made commitments worth over 64 million US dollars, and this year they had pledged more than 117 million US dollars. Despite these contributions, they said they were treated poorly.
Taiwan also called on friendly nations to resist attempts to isolate the self-governing island from international engagements. However, as of the time of reporting, Kenya had not issued any further comment or responded to the specific claims made by Taiwan.
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