Back and Next - Back and NextGambia supports Taiwan’s bid MOFA thumbs up allies
Thursday, May 22, 2008
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Taiwan on Tuesday, released a statement, expressing its heartfelt appreciation to 17 of its diplomatic allies for their assistance and support for Taiwan’s bid to join the World Health Organisation (WHO); a genuine quest supported by The Gambia.
The statement came after the World Health Assembly, the highest decision-making body of the WHO, decided again on Monday at noon to exclude from the assembly agenda an item put forth by 17 of Taiwan's diplomatic allies urging the world body to invite Taiwan to take part in the WHA as an observer. The Gambia is among Taiwan’s most outspoken allies that has consistently and resolutely been calling on the UN and the WHO to admit democratic Taiwan in the world’s bodies.
The decision was confirmed without a vote in a plenary session held in the afternoon after a two-on-two debate, in which The Gambia and Palau spoke in support of Taiwan's bid, while China and Pakistan expressed their opposition to the idea.
The Gambian delegation to the assembly was led by Dr Malick Njie, the secretary of state for Health and Social Welfare, accompanied by Saihou Ceesay, a deputy permanent secretary and Dr Mariatou Jallow, chief medical director of RVTH.
Meanwhile, the US reaffirmed its support for observer status for Taiwan in the WHA Monday as Taiwan suffered yet another setback in its bid to participate in the WHO.
In a statement issued through its diplomatic mission to the UN in Geneva, the US reiterated that it has long supported observer status for Taiwan in the WHA, although it does not support membership for Taiwan in organisations that are composed solely of states.
"When membership is not an option, we are strongly in favor of arrangements that will allow the people of Taiwan to participate meaningfully in the activities of international organizations," the US statement said.
The US said it supports the involvement of experts from Taiwan in appropriate technical-level meetings in the WHO and has also advocated universal application of the International Health Regulations to avoid any gaps in regional preparedness for public health emergencies.
The US pointed out that without opportunities for participation in the WHO, Taiwan's 23 million inhabitants have only restricted access to health alerts and public health programmes to which they have much to contribute, and from which they could and should benefit.
Owing to China's opposition, Taiwan has failed in each of its bids for WHO participation promoted since 1997, including its first application for full membership in 2007.
In Monday's debate, China's minister of Health Chen Zhu argued that the issue of IHR application to Taiwan has been addressed in a memorandum of understanding reached between China and the WHO Secretariat in 2005.
Chen claimed the agreement allows WHO to maintain direct contact with Taiwan to discuss technical matters regarding IHR implementation.
Taiwan's minister of Health Hou Sheng-mou (åÚèüñŒ), who was in Geneva to push Taiwan's bid, dismissed Chen's claim as totally untrue, however, noting that information provided by Taiwan to the WHO over the past year has received no response.
The statement came after the World Health Assembly, the highest decision-making body of the WHO, decided again on Monday at noon to exclude from the assembly agenda an item put forth by 17 of Taiwan's diplomatic allies urging the world body to invite Taiwan to take part in the WHA as an observer. The Gambia is among Taiwan’s most outspoken allies that has consistently and resolutely been calling on the UN and the WHO to admit democratic Taiwan in the world’s bodies.
The decision was confirmed without a vote in a plenary session held in the afternoon after a two-on-two debate, in which The Gambia and Palau spoke in support of Taiwan's bid, while China and Pakistan expressed their opposition to the idea.
The Gambian delegation to the assembly was led by Dr Malick Njie, the secretary of state for Health and Social Welfare, accompanied by Saihou Ceesay, a deputy permanent secretary and Dr Mariatou Jallow, chief medical director of RVTH.
Meanwhile, the US reaffirmed its support for observer status for Taiwan in the WHA Monday as Taiwan suffered yet another setback in its bid to participate in the WHO.
In a statement issued through its diplomatic mission to the UN in Geneva, the US reiterated that it has long supported observer status for Taiwan in the WHA, although it does not support membership for Taiwan in organisations that are composed solely of states.
"When membership is not an option, we are strongly in favor of arrangements that will allow the people of Taiwan to participate meaningfully in the activities of international organizations," the US statement said.
The US said it supports the involvement of experts from Taiwan in appropriate technical-level meetings in the WHO and has also advocated universal application of the International Health Regulations to avoid any gaps in regional preparedness for public health emergencies.
The US pointed out that without opportunities for participation in the WHO, Taiwan's 23 million inhabitants have only restricted access to health alerts and public health programmes to which they have much to contribute, and from which they could and should benefit.
Owing to China's opposition, Taiwan has failed in each of its bids for WHO participation promoted since 1997, including its first application for full membership in 2007.
In Monday's debate, China's minister of Health Chen Zhu argued that the issue of IHR application to Taiwan has been addressed in a memorandum of understanding reached between China and the WHO Secretariat in 2005.
Chen claimed the agreement allows WHO to maintain direct contact with Taiwan to discuss technical matters regarding IHR implementation.
Taiwan's minister of Health Hou Sheng-mou (åÚèüñŒ), who was in Geneva to push Taiwan's bid, dismissed Chen's claim as totally untrue, however, noting that information provided by Taiwan to the WHO over the past year has received no response.
Author: by Ebrima Jaw Manneh
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