By Zamzam Mohamed - Reporter
Somalia, 9 January 2026 - A highly anticipated visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Mogadishu was abruptly canceled on Friday, according to source of Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, leaving the capital under a heavy security lockdown that had been imposed for his arrival.
The source confirmed to Dawan Media that the top Chinese diplomat would no longer be arriving today as previously scheduled. No official reason was provided for the sudden cancellation.
The news of the cancellation came as Mogadishu remained paralyzed by a city-wide security operation. Since dawn, police and military units had established checkpoints and blocked major thoroughfares, including the road to Aden Adde International Airport, in preparation for the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister to Somalia in decades.
Mogadishu is currently seeking international backing following Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland—a move Somalia views as a direct threat to its sovereignty.
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The stop in Mogadishu was intended to be a centerpiece of Wang’s 2026 African tour.
Before the disruption, Wang had been in Ethiopia, where he and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed pledged to deepen their "all-weather strategic partnership" through new cooperation in artificial intelligence and maritime logistics.
Wang’s tour is still expected to continue to Tanzania, where the focus remains on the TAZARA railway and regional logistics, and Lesotho, where China is promoting tariff-free trade for smaller African economies. It remains unclear if the Somalia visit will be rescheduled for a later date or if Wang will proceed directly to the next destination on his itinerary.
