By Ambassador Allen C. Lou of Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland
The distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to bar Taiwan’s meaningful participation in WHO and WHA is the World’s loss
This year marks the 9th year for China to politicize Taiwan’s participation in World Health Assembly since 2017. The world gets to see again China’s true color when it comes to global health and humanitarian issues. Despite the global health crisis that we face, China continues to distort United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and World Health Assembly Resolution 25.1 to obstruct Taiwan’s meaningful participation and potential contribution to global health platforms. Such political calculation is not just denying Taiwanese human rights, but also depriving the rest of the world of reaping the benefits from Taiwan’s experience and build back better for all mankind.
Taiwan appreciates more than 50 countries to voice for its appeal
International support of Taiwan’s participation in WHO and WHA continues to make strides. Taiwan sincerely appreciates the staunch and concrete support from Group of Seven (G7), the executive and legislative branches of government of more than 50 countries, the European Union, the European Parliament, and representative offices of like-minded nations in Taiwan. We look forward to more African countries to join the rally of including Taiwan in WHO and other global health mechanisms, as the health issues often impact the African continent the most, if not the worst.
Taiwan Health Model is a Sustainable Model
As the theme of this year’s World Health Assembly states “One World for Health”, no able international partner should be left alone. According to Numbeo Health Care Index, Taiwan has been toped the category for seven years in a row. Furthermore, Taiwan’s progress in health is now reaching out to our diplomatic allies and like-minded partners, and more can still be done in the African continent.
Taiwan Model in Somaliland and East Africa
WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health for 2020-2025 focuses on person-centric digital health solutions as well as the development of infrastructure and utilization of health data. This is well-demonstrated by the Health Information System (HIS) in the Republic of Somaliland under TaiwanICDF Technical Mission. In fact, healthcare cooperation has always been the key focus since the establishment of Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland in 2020, along with Maternal and Infant Health Improvement Project, Public Health Emergency Response System Enhancement and Dispatch of Taiwan Medical Mission are implemented. Integrating the provision of software such as trainings and scholarship and hardware equipment, Taiwan Cooperation Model has assisted Somaliland government in combating COVID-19 and expanding Health Information System Coverage to major cities.
Furthermore, The International Cooperation and Development Foundation (TaiwanICDF) is also teaming up with Terre des hommes Foundation, a Swiss international non-governmental organization, to enhance WASH-related facilities and protocols in Garissa County, Republic of Kenya.
Taiwan has the determination and ability to contribute more to the world, as we firmly believe that “Healthcare transcend borders”. It is time to include Taiwan for global health reform.
