The International Workshop on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief staged under the Taiwan-U.S. Global Cooperation and Training Framework wrapped up Dec. 14 in the central county of Nantou, with experts from 13 countries attending the seminar to discuss the latest developments and share experiences.
 
Jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction under the Ministry of Science and Technology and the American Institute in Taiwan, the one-day event explored opportunities for international collaboration in integrating civil, private and public sector response capabilities.
 
Participants also visited the National Fire Agency and Chelungpu Fault Preservation Park in Nantou, both under the Ministry of the Interior, as well as the 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan in the central city of Taichung. These tours highlighted preparedness measures implemented following the magnitude 7.3 temblor that struck central Taiwan Sept. 21, 1999.
 
Speaking at the event, MOFA Deputy Minister Hsu Szu-chien said that this was the second disaster response and humanitarian relief workshop staged in Taiwan since the launch of the GCTF in 2015. The discussions will lay the foundations for expanded cooperation in these fields across the Indo-Pacific, he added.
 
According to Hsu, the government has left no stone unturned in enhancing the nation’s capabilities in mitigating and preparing for man-made and natural disasters. Taiwan looks forward to further productive international exchanges in strengthening related practices, he said.
 
Echoing these remarks, AIT Deputy Director Raymond Greene praised Taiwan’s contributions in advancing a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific. In the face of wide-ranging challenges, the global community cannot afford to exclude a partner with so much to offer, he added.
 
A regional leader in disaster prevention and response, Taiwan continues to demonstrate its desire and capacity to help others in need, Greene said, citing the nation’s aid after Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013 and flooding and landslides triggered by torrential rain in western Japan in July.
 
Since the inception of GCTF, Taiwan and the U.S. have organized 15 workshops in areas spanning e-commerce, education, energy, environmental protection, media literacy, public health and women’s empowerment. To date, more than 260 representatives from over 30 countries have attended these events, according to the MOFA. (KWS-E)
 
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