The U.S. has welcomed Taiwan’s participation as an observer at the past eight World Health Assembly meetings and looks forward to its continued participation in the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, according to American Institute in Taiwan Chairman James Moriarty April 25.
Given Taiwan’s geographical position at the heart of Asia, its robust economic and people-to-people ties with countries around the world, and its own significant experience and demonstrated capacity, the U.S. continues to support Taiwan’s meaningful and substantive contributions to the international community, Moriarty said.
Taiwan was invited in 2009 by the WHO to take part as an observer in the annual WHA in Geneva, Switzerland, following 38 years of exclusion. The country has since shared its extensive experience in a range of areas like providing universal health care coverage and managing outbreaks of highly contagious diseases. This involvement is widely recognized as helping strengthen the global disease-prevention network and safeguard the health of the nation’s 23 million people.
The AIT chairman, who is in country on a seven-day visit until April 29, made the remarks while addressing a public health workshop in Taipei City organized under the auspices of the Taiwan-U.S. Global Cooperation and Training Framework, according to a statement released April 25 by the AIT.
Launched in June 2015, the framework enables Taiwan and the U.S. to work together in expanding their already robust cooperation through addressing global challenges such as education, energy, environmental protection, international humanitarian assistance, public health, technology and regional development.
According to Moriarty, the aim of the framework is to provide more technical expertise, create networks and build bridges between Taiwan, Southeast Asia and South Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean and beyond. It is strongly believed this kind of cooperation will deliver tangible benefits to the global community and strengthen mutual bonds, he said. (SFC-E)
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