Allies, Japan, EU praise foreign aid efforts at TaiwanICDF celebration

Taipei, July 1 (CNA) Ministers from three of Taiwan's diplomatic allies that have benefited from foreign aid projects have thanked the TaiwanICDF for its decades-long assistance as the government-funded foreign aid agency celebrated its 30th anniversary in Taipei.

Speaking at a press event following a ceremony in Taipei to mark the occasion on Wednesday, Guatemalan Public Health and Social Assistance Minister Joaquín Barnoya said a TaiwanICDF project he especially wanted to highlight was the Breast Cancer Control System.

"Cancer is a priority worldwide, and in particular in Guatemala, there's a huge gap in access to treatment and screening," Barnoya said.

Thanks to its collaboration with the TaiwanICDF, Guatemala was able to build a first-rate cancer treatment hospital and implement a breast cancer screening program that included capacity building, mammography availability, and a referral system linking rural health centers and hospitals, he said.

"I think this is a good example of how cooperation in addressing a specific disease such as cancer, which is a worldwide public health threat, can cover treatment and early diagnosis to improve outcomes in both urban and rural Guatemala," he said.

Eswatini Commerce, Industry and Trade Minister Manqoba Khumalo said the Women Empowerment and Microfinancing Project was his favorite among the dozens of TaiwanICDF projects in the African ally because it has helped close the financial inclusion gap.

Because of the project, women in marginalized communities, as well as those in outlying areas, are now able to participate more meaningfully in the economy, Khumalo said.

"We have seen women being lifted out of poverty and economic exclusion and participating meaningfully in the economy in Eswatini. We have also seen young people being brought in as this particular project matures," he said, expressing gratitude to the TaiwanICDF.

Marshall Islands Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Kalani Kaneko said TaiwanICDF, and Taiwan as a whole, "has been a great partner," providing assistance in many areas, including agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, and human capacity building.

Kaneko said that what has stood out most to him has been the TaiwanICDF's capacity-building efforts in public health, which have enabled the Marshall Islands to train more doctors in Taiwan through government scholarship programs.

The three ministers were invited to Taiwan to attend the main celebration marking the 30th anniversary of the founding of the TaiwanICDF, but representatives of non-allied partners also spoke at the ceremony.

Japan's top envoy to Taiwan, Kazuyuki Katayama, praised the TaiwanICDF for making significant contributions to international development and for helping Taiwan become a "responsible and constructive member" of the international community.

"Taiwan's experience offers a model that inspires us all," he said. "Over the past several decades, Taiwan has transformed itself from a major aid recipient into a respected development partner."

European Union Representative to Taiwan Lutz Güllner also praised the agency, saying it has helped build partnerships, share expertise, mobilize investment, and strengthen resilience in an increasingly interdependent world.

"On this important anniversary, I again congratulate Taiwan and its leaders for all that has been achieved for us and for many, many nations," he said.