Kenya Blocks Taiwan Delegation from 'Our Ocean Conference' in First-Ever Incident

Taiwan's delegation was prevented from attending the 11th 'Our Ocean Conference' (OOC) in Mombasa, Kenya, marking the first time Taiwan has been formally invited but subsequently barred from participation. The eight-member delegation, organized by the Ministry of Oceans Affairs, encountered significant obstacles orchestrated by the Kenyan government.

According to the ministry, the issues began during the conference's preparation phase. Taiwan's IP addresses were blocked from accessing the registration system, and the option to register as 'Taiwan' was removed. Despite submitting required data manually multiple times, the registration process remained incomplete. Furthermore, electronic travel authorizations for some delegates were revoked shortly before their departure, and participants invited to side events received cancellation notices.

The situation escalated dramatically when a Taiwanese scholar, invited to a pre-conference academic exchange on June 14, was denied entry at the venue. Kenyan immigration officials reportedly refused to issue an entry pass, citing non-recognition of Taiwanese passports. The scholar's passport and mobile phone were confiscated for over 20 hours before they were allowed to depart the country.

The Ministry of Oceans Affairs strongly condemned Kenya's actions, accusing the government of acting under Chinese influence. They stated that the series of deliberate obstructions throughout the registration, accreditation, and entry process severely limited Taiwan's international space. The ministry protested the denial of participation in international marine science exchanges and the violation of personal and communication freedoms, calling these actions barbaric and contrary to international norms. They urged the conference organizers to provide a reasonable explanation.