Taiwan will contribute US$30,000 to the Piracy Survivor Family Fund administered by U.K.-headquartered International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network as part of the government’s efforts to support anti-piracy and international humanitarian assistance work, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs May 16.
The donation was pledged in a memorandum of understanding inked by Tseng Ho-jen, head of Taiwan Representative Office in the EU and Belgium, and Roger Harris, executive director of ISWAN, the previous day in Brussels. The signing ceremony was hosted by Charles Tannock, member of the European Parliament and honorary chairman of the EP-Taiwan Friendship Group, and attended by EU lawmakers and officials.
Set up by the U.N. Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia in 2014, the PSFF helps sailors and their families from countries such as Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Ukraine who have been affected by piracy operations originating in the eastern African nation. This is Taiwan’s second contribution to the fund after a prior grant of US$30,000 in 2015.
According to Tseng, the donation underscores Taiwan’s commitment to aiding victims of piracy and promoting international maritime safety and security. The country will continue working with the global community to advance humanitarian assistance, he said.
Harris said that the organization deeply appreciates Taiwan’s generous grant, noting that the funds will aid innocent victims of Somali piracy who have received no or very limited support.
Founded in 2013, ISWAN is a network of shipping companies, unions, sailor welfare groups and government seafarer services organizations. The PSFF was established by the CGPCS in 2014 to provide financial assistance and rehabilitation to seafarers and their families affected by Somali piracy.
According to ISWAN, it is estimated that more than 4,000 sailors have been taken hostage by Somali pirates and as many as 80,000 subjected to attack since 2006. (CPY-E)
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