Taiwan says WHA exclusion would be a 'loss for the world'

Taipei, May 16 (CNA) Taiwan's foreign and health ministers said Friday it would be a "loss for the world" if the country is left out of next week's World Health Assembly (WHA) for the ninth year in a row.

The 78th WHA, the World Health Organization's (WHO) annual decision-making meeting, will be held in Geneva from May 19-27.

As of Friday, Taiwan -- excluded from the United Nations (U.N.) -- had yet to receive an invitation.

With Taiwan likely to be excluded from the WHA again this year, Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) said at a news conference in Taipei that the government "will not give up" on securing an invitation.

"We will continue working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs until the very last moment," Chiu said, referring to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Taiwan is a global leader in medical care and disease prevention. Excluding us from sharing our experience is a "loss for the world" and unfair to the people of Taiwan, he said.

Echoing Chiu, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said Taiwan is a major player in semiconductors and AI -- both crucial to future health policy -- and that its exclusion from the WHO is "a loss not only for Taiwan but for the entire world."

He said the United States' withdrawal from the WHO will put pressure on the organization, and if a new international body with similar functions were established, "Taiwan would definitely be the first to sign up."

"Just because we're not in the WHO doesn't mean we can't do anything," Lin added.

Despite not receiving an invitation, Chiu will lead a Taiwanese delegation departing this evening for Geneva to attend events promoting Taiwan's inclusion in the WHA, continuing past practice.

Chiu said the goal is to rally support for Taiwan's participation in the WHA as an observer and for full involvement in all WHO meetings and mechanisms, including the WHO Pandemic Agreement expected to be adopted at this year's assembly.

Drafted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO Pandemic Agreement aims to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, with key elements including a Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing system and measures related to the availability of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, according to the WHO.

Asked by CNA how the government is preparing for Taiwan's exclusion from the agreement, Chiu said the country will continue to strengthen its domestic preparedness, including accelerating vaccine development through a dedicated task force established under the Presidential Office's Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee.