Taipei, Sept. 26 (CNA) Four allies with formal ties to Taiwan voiced their support for the country at a high-level health meeting and climate summit held this week during the 74th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Thursday.
According to MOFA, leaders from eSwatini, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Palau and Guatemala all spoke for Taiwan, urging the world organization to allow the country to participate in U.N. specialized bodies.
Speaking at the U.N. High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage held on Monday, eSwatini Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi urged the world governing body to include Taiwan in the U.N. system, the foreign ministry said.
"We are grateful to a number of partners helping and supporting us such as the Republic of China in Taiwan for their support in maternal, child health work," Nkosi said.
She called upon the U.N. to include Taiwan in the U.N. system as eSwatini believes the country can greatly contribute to the organization's work and human welfare.
At the same event, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves commended Taiwan for its medical missions in the country, and described it as a reliable partner of the Caribbean nation.
Meanwhile, Palau President Tommy Remengesau, Jr., urged the U.N. not to exclude Taiwan and its 23 million people in terms of universal healthcare.
"Taiwan's universal health insurance program is a model for the world. Her support for Palau is an example of the power partnership in realizing universal health coverage," he said.
"We call for Taiwan's full participation in multilateral decision making, here at the U.N. and at the World Health Assembly, where we can vouch for the contribution that she will make to realizing the 2030 Agenda," the Palau president added.
During the Climate Action Summit held Monday in New York, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales praised Taiwan for being a staunch partner of Guatemala, saying the two countries have carried out more than 100 projects covering a wide range of sectors since 2016. Several of these projects also included the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The government would like to thank Taiwan's diplomatic allies for backing the country during the U.N.'s General Assembly in New York, MOFA spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.
(By Elaine Hou and Ko Lin)
Enditem/AW
