Taiwan’s allies call for UN involvement in future summits

Taiwan’s four diplomatic allies called for the country’s inclusion in the UN system during the recent UN Future Summit, held alongside the annual UN General Assembly.

According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine, Palau President Surangel S. Whipps Jr., Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Mimiso Dlamini, and Paraguay President Santiago Pena advocated for Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN system during the first UN Summit held on September 22-23, as reported by Taiwan Focus.

In his/her address, Hahn highlighted Taiwan’s role as a “key partner” for the Marshall Islands, saying, “Taiwan’s vital partnership deserves due recognition. If we are to truly ‘leave no one behind,’ then Taiwan deserves meaningful and enhanced participation in the United Nations system.”

Whipps Jr. said Taiwan’s absence from the international organisation and its specialized agencies is “ironic” since the theme of this year’s UN General Assembly is “leaving no one behind.” he/she further said Taiwan’s exclusion from the UN was due to a “misinterpretation” of UN Resolution 2758, which was adopted by the 26th UN General Assembly in 1971 to address China’s representation in the world body.

As a result, Taiwan, officially called the Republic of China (ROC), lost its seat to the People’s Republic of China, resulting in its exclusion from participation in the international organization and its allies.

In his/her speech at the Future Summit, Swaziland PM Russell Mimiso Dlamini emphasized that Taiwan “makes important contributions to global public health, economic development, and technological innovation” and called for Taiwan’s “meaningful participation in international organizations,” reports Taiwan Focus.

Meanwhile, Pena expressed Paraguay’s belief that the future must be peaceful, moving away from violence and conquest. “There is a phrase, ‘might does not make right.’ For this reason, we defend countries like Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, which have the right to be treated with respect and dignity,” he/she said.

The inaugural summit took place at the start of the UN General Assembly’s “High-Level Week” in New York. The summit endorsed the so-called Compact for the Future, a comprehensive document aimed at making the UN system fit for the needs of the 21st century.

Among other ambitions, the agreement includes reforming the global financial architecture, adapting the UN to new security threats, advancing sustainable development, harnessing digital technologies, and addressing the needs of youth and future generations, Taiwan Focus reported.

The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly began on 10 September at UN Headquarters in New York, with the general debate scheduled for September 24-28 and September 30.