Taiwan's presence in Haiti unaffected by unrest: Foreign Minister Wu

Taipei, March 20 (CNA) Taiwan's projects in Haiti are continuing as normal and there are no signs that unrest in Port-au-Prince will affect bilateral relations, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said Wednesday.

Wu told lawmakers during a legislative session in Taipei that diplomatic cooperation with Haiti appeared solid, as the political leaders likely to take charge in the country were all in close contact with Taiwan.

Asked whether Taiwan planned to evacuate diplomatic staff in Port-au-Prince, Wu said despite the ongoing unrest, Taiwan's embassy in Haiti remains open.

He added that 23 Taiwanese nationals in Haiti -- comprising embassy staff, technical mission members, businesspeople, and their families -- were safe and accounted for.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has evacuation contingencies ready and rehearsed but the time has not come yet for a full-scale evacuation, Wu said.

According to the minister, the United States, Germany, and the European Union all continue to operate their embassies in Haiti with essential embassy personnel there as well.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned last week following a deadly surge of gang violence.

With Henry set to be replaced by a transitional council, MOFA's Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Cheng Li-cheng (鄭力城) said Tuesday that the ministry was "closely watching" developments.

Cheng also said it would be safer for Taiwanese citizens to shelter in place given the risks of moving around Haiti at the moment.