Taipei: Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Wednesday it has received no reports of Taiwanese citizens being denied entry into Kenya, despite recent comments by a Kenyan official suggesting that holders of Taiwan passports would not be allowed entry into the country.

According to Focus Taiwan, a Kenyan Times report on June 17 cited Kenya's Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing'oei, stating that travelers holding Taiwanese passports would "ordinarily be denied entry at Kenya's borders for lacking proper travel documentation." Sing'oei was quoted as saying that individuals with Taiwanese passports would not be allowed through Kenyan borders and would not participate in formal state meetings organized by the Kenyan government. He reiterated Kenya's support for the "one China" policy, recognizing the People's Republic of China over Taiwan.

However, MOFA clarified that Taiwanese passport holders could still enter Kenya, provided they have a valid passport for at least six months and obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) as per Kenya's current regulations. The foreign ministry assured it would keep monitoring any changes in Kenya's entry policies to protect the rights and interests of Taiwanese citizens traveling for business or tourism.

MOFA suggested that Sing'oei's remarks might be linked to an incident involving a Taiwanese delegation to the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa. Organizers of a pre-conference event reportedly refused accreditation to Taiwanese delegates due to their Taiwan passports, as per MOFA and Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council (OAC). The OAC detailed that two delegates were detained by Kenyan immigration for approximately 20 hours, with their passports and mobile phones confiscated. Upon release, they returned to Taiwan, prompting the rest of the delegation, including OAC officials, to cancel their participation in the June 16-18 conference.

MOFA stated that Taiwan withdrew its delegation to ensure the safety of its citizens, citing unfriendly actions by the Kenyan government. Both MOFA and the OAC attributed these actions to political pressure from Beijing, though no further details were provided.

MOFA has issued an orange travel alert for Kenya, highlighting regional security concerns and the treatment of Taiwanese travelers. Taiwan's four-tier travel advisory system includes gray, yellow, orange, and red alerts, with an orange alert advising citizens to avoid non-essential travel and exercise caution.