Local know-how in agriculture is expected to benefit African ally Burkina Faso as Taiwan seeks to create a private firm to take part in an aid project in the African state, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (
Several months ago, Chien said the ministry was looking for ways to privatize Taiwan's overseas agricultural technical missions and his recent trip to Africa seemed to push his idea closer to realization.
Fresh from his trip to Burkina Faso and Chad, Chien told the Taipei Times yesterday that he hopes to set up a private firm under the umbrella of the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) to allow Taiwan to take part in an aid project in Burkina Faso financed by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). The ICDF is Taiwan's key government-financed agency overseeing foreign aid.
"This would be a concrete step to attain the idea I put forward over six months ago," Chien said.
According to information on the Web site of Saudi Arabia-based IDB, the bank approved a loan of US$37.2 million in 1999 to its member state of Burkina Faso for the Bagre Irrigation Development Project.
The project, for the Burkina Faso provinces of Boulgo and Zoundweogo, aims to reduce the food deficit and improve food security by developing 1,500 hectares of irrigated land and social infrastructure, according to the bank.
Aside from promoting cultivation, the project also includes construction of basic infrastructure as well as study and supervision work, the bank said.
Chien said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intends to set up a private firm under the ICDF to allow Taiwan to join the bidding arranged by the bank.
"If this program works, we'll see the birth of a new model," Chien said, adding that he hopes the scheme will be put in place by the end of next month.
Chien will seek support for the plan from DPP legislators today during a briefing in the legislature.
Chien said the government would weigh its options before deciding the extent to which Taiwan will get involved in the project.
The plan to take part in the project over a four-year implementation period would provide the opportunity to contact other international organizations, Chien said.
The minister of foreign affairs added that the decades-long efforts by Taiwan's agricultural mission in Burkin Faso to boost rice production has won the trust of the local government.
ICDF Secretary-General Yang Tzu-pao (楊子葆), who accompanied Chien on his trip, said the mission has won praise from Burkina Faso officials.
"The Burkina Faso government as well as the bank, which has dispatched personnel to investigate into the work of our agricultural mission several times, saw us as a favorable partner," Yang said.
However, whether it's legal for the ICDF to set up a profit-making firm is still under debate, Yang said.
While an ICDF legal consultant said it's feasible for the fund to set up a profit-making firm so long as the firm works at boosting Taiwan's international cooperation, others disagree, Yang said.
Critics said that since only countries, international organizations and non-governmental organizations can be targets for cooperation as stipulated in ICDF regulations, it will require an amendment to the rules to allow the ICDF to set up a private organization, Yang said.
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