Taiwan Accuses Kenya of Detaining Scholar and Blocking Delegates From Major Ocean Conference in Mombasa
Kenya is facing mounting diplomatic scrutiny after Taiwan accused its authorities of preventing a delegation of Taiwanese experts from participating in a major international maritime conference in Mombasa, amid claims that one academic was detained for nearly 20 hours before being deported.
The allegations emerged on Tuesday when Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a strongly worded statement condemning what it described as the “unjustified obstruction” of its delegates from attending the 11th Our Ocean Conference, a global forum focused on marine conservation, sustainable fisheries, climate change, and ocean governance.
According to Taiwan, a team of scholars and marine experts travelled to Kenya after receiving invitations connected to events surrounding the conference. The delegation had reportedly already taken part in a pre-conference exchange forum, where they presented research findings and engaged with international participants.
However, the ministry claimed the experts were later barred from attending the main conference after Kenyan immigration authorities allegedly declined to recognise their Republic of China (Taiwan) passports.
The most serious allegation concerns a Taiwanese scholar who was reportedly stopped upon arrival by immigration officials. Taiwan claims the academic’s passport and mobile phone were confiscated and that she was held for nearly 20 hours before being allowed to board a flight out of Kenya.
“The experts had their passports and cellphones confiscated for 20 hours before they were allowed to leave,” Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The ministry further alleged that efforts by Taiwanese representative offices in the region to secure assistance for the delegates were unsuccessful, leaving them stranded for several hours before authorities eventually released them.
Taipei described the incident as a violation of the spirit of international cooperation and inclusivity that underpins the Our Ocean Conference, an event that brings together governments, scientists, environmental organisations and policymakers from around the world.
In its statement, Taiwan accused Kenya of acting under pressure from China, which considers the self-governing island part of its territory and routinely opposes Taiwan’s participation in international forums.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry criticised what it called Beijing’s continued efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and urged democratic nations to resist such pressure.
“The actions taken against our delegates undermine international maritime cooperation and the principles of openness that should guide global discussions on ocean governance,” the ministry said.
The dispute has prompted Taiwan’s Oceans Affairs Council to withdraw entirely from the conference. The council said the treatment of the invited experts raised serious concerns about the credibility, fairness and openness of the event.
Taiwan has participated in the Our Ocean Conference since 2015 and says it has contributed significantly to marine conservation initiatives, sustainable fisheries management and efforts to combat ocean pollution. Officials in Taipei argued that excluding Taiwanese experts from the gathering disregarded years of contributions to international ocean-related initiatives.
The incident risks creating an uncomfortable diplomatic challenge for Kenya, which maintains official relations with China under the One China Policy. Beijing has consistently opposed any international recognition of Taiwan and has often pressured governments and international organisations to restrict Taipei’s participation in global events.
The latest row comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions between China and Taiwan, with disputes over diplomatic recognition, trade, security and international representation continuing to strain relations between the two sides.
As of the time of publication, Kenyan authorities had not publicly responded to the allegations or provided an explanation regarding the treatment of the Taiwanese delegates.
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