Four allies back Taiwan at UN

GENERAL DEBATE SPEECHES: Eleven of the 15 allies voiced support for Taiwan’s inclusion in UN activities and two sent letters. Nicaragua focused on its own issues

Staff writer, with CNA in NEW YORK





Representatives of four of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies on Saturday spoke out for the nation on the fifth day of the UN General Assembly’s general debate, bringing the number of allies that have done so to 11, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.

Tuvaluan Deputy Prime Minister Minute Taupo expressed gratitude toward worldwide assistance to his nation in various fields, including that from Taiwan.

“Genuine and durable partnerships” are fundamental for the UN to achieve its Agenda 2030, as well as its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he said.

Tuvaluan Deputy Prime Minister Minute Taupo on Saturday addresses the UN General Assembly at the UN’s headquarters in New York City. Photo: Reuters

“However, the exclusion of a genuine and durable partner like Taiwan from the UN denies its 23 million people of their fundamental rights to participate, benefit and contribute to the UN SDGs,” he said.

Taiwan is a “responsible and able partner to Tuvalu and many countries around the world,” and would be able to do more if it is invited into the UN, he added.

Marshall Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade John Silk reaffirmed the Pacific country’s close ties with Taiwan, saying the “lasting friendship between our free and democratic nations is truly unstoppable.”

“If we as a world and the UN are truly serious that ‘no one is left behind,’ we would recognize participation and assistance from all relevant sources, and thus appropriately recognize Taiwan’s partnership and engagement with my own nation and others,” he said.

Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bocchit Edmond called on UN members to pay closer attention to all forms of inequality around the globe, saying that the promotion of inclusion should be a key requirement in meeting the UN Agenda 2030 and its SDGs.

“It is with this in mind that the Republic of Haiti wishes greater consideration to be given to the repeated demands of the Republic of China for participation in the activities of the UN system,” he added.

Belizean Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Wilfred Elrington criticized the UN’s exclusion of Taiwan in his address.

“This is, in our view, a travesty of justice for this institution to rely doggedly and erroneously on a 1971 resolution to block Taiwan’s participation in any of its bodies,” he said.

Belize calls upon the UN to end the “political and humanitarian embargo against the people of Taiwan,” he added.

The general debate portion of the UN General Assembly began on Tuesday and is to end today.

The 11 allies that spoke for Taiwan were Eswatini, Palau, Guatemala, Nauru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, Belize and Haiti.

Honduras and Paraguay did not, but before the General Assembly opened, they sent letters to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in support of Taiwan’s request to play a more active role in the organization.

Nicaragua did neither, along with the Vatican, which is not a UN member, but a permanent observer state, and rarely speaks on political issues in the general debate.

Nicaragua decided to focus on issues related to its internal affairs in its General Assembly speech, MOFA spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.