The staunch support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the U.N. system shown by diplomatic allies during the General Assembly in New York is deeply appreciated by the government and people, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oct. 2.
 
A total of 15 allies urged the global body to resolve the issue of the nation’s exclusion from U.N. specialized agencies through speaking out during the General Debate or writing to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. They also addressed Taiwan’s merits as a valuable partner in achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
 
These countries are Belize, Haiti, Honduras, Kingdom of Eswatini, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, Paraguay, Solomon Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Tuvalu, the MOFA said.
 
In a joint letter to Guterres, 12 allies called on the U.N. to deliver equal treatment and allow Taiwan’s engagement in SDG-related meetings, mechanisms and activities. The country’s omission runs counter to the principle of universality set forth in the U.N. Charter, they wrote, adding that the multilateral body serves all people and should welcome inclusivity.
 
Allies Honduras, Paraguay and Nicaragua sent individual messages to the secretary-general expressing similar sentiments.
 
According to the MOFA, as a responsible member of the global community, Taiwan will continue to fulfill its international obligations and work with allies and like-minded partners to promote sustainable development. The ministry urged the U.N. to deliver equal treatment to the 23 million people of Taiwan and support the nation’s participation in specialized agencies.
 
Under a MOFA-backed campaign spotlighting Taiwan’s desire to participate in the U.N. system and merits as a partner in promoting the SDGs, a total of 20 activities were organized on the sidelines of the General Assembly. These events effectively conveyed Taiwan’s contributions to advancing the U.N. goals, the ministry said.
 
As part of the initiative, MOFA Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu penned an article titled “U.N. Global Goals—Taiwan Can Help” highlighting the nation’s efforts in providing assistance to countries around the world through the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) and calling on the U.N. to open its doors to Taiwan. The article has been published by about 100 foreign media outlets, according to the ministry.
 
A series of five short videos titled “An SDG a Day” and subtitled in 10 languages were also released on the MOFA-backed Trending Taiwan YouTube channel. Accumulating more than 14 million views on various social media platforms, the series underscores Taiwan’s achievements and contributions toward the goals of affordable and clean energy, good health and well-being, quality education, responsible consumption and production, and sustainable food production systems.
 
Adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 2015, the SDGs are intended to end poverty, protect the environment and secure peace and prosperity around the world. The 17 goals comprise 169 targets in such fields as clean water and sanitation, climate change, gender equality, global hunger, poverty and sustainable cities. (KWS-E)