TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A group of UN representatives allied with Taiwan collectively contacted World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus via videoconference on April 29 and requested that Taiwan be invited to attend the World Health Assembly (WHA) and participate in all WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities as soon as possible, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Sunday (May 3).
According to MOFA, the group urged Tedros to uphold an ideal of "No one left behind" and invite Taiwan to attend the WHA and all WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities as soon as possible, CNA reported.
Honduran ambassador to the UN Giampaolo Rizzo posted screenshots of the online conference with the director-general on Twitter, according to media reports. Rizzo stated, "I led a coalition of nations and asked the director-general to invite Taiwan to participate in the WHA and all technical conferences regarding the new coronavirus. This is the right thing to do."
MOFA pointed out in a press release on May 3 that the 73rd WHA is scheduled to take place in video form from May 18 to 19 and that Taiwan will continue to actively seek an invitation to participate as an observer so it can share its epidemic prevention experience with other countries as well as collaborate on international epidemic treatment.
Although the situation remains very difficult, the government will never give up on its efforts to work together with allies and countries with similar values, and it will continue fighting for a voice in the international community, the ministry said.
MOFA has since expressed gratitude for the group of allies' courage to stand up against "improper" political pressure, emphasizing that it cherishes the steadfast support of Taiwan's friends. The ministry also stated that it would continue to uphold the principles of "professionalism, pragmatism, and contribution" and strive to seek more international support in order to safeguard the right of the island nation’s 23 million people to participate in and contribute to international medical and epidemic prevention efforts.
