Health minister to deliver speech at WHA meeting

Department of Health (DOH) Minister Yaung Chih-liang (楊志良) will deliver a five-minute speech at the May 17 through May 21 World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said.

Paul Chang (章文樑), director of the ministry’s Department of International Organizations, said Yaung would follow the precedent set by former DOH minister Yeh Ching-chuan (葉金川) last year by speaking briefly at the WHA to share Taiwan’s experiences in operating a universal health insurance system and offering international medical aid.

Taiwanese delegates will speak at meetings of two special WHA committees and will also hold bilateral meetings with their US, Japanese and EU counterparts on matters of mutual concern, Chang said.

“We hope Taiwan’s participation at the WHA will update our understanding of the latest global developments in healthcare and medical services while contributing to our bid for expanded international cooperation,” he said.

After gaining access to the WHA, Chang said, Taiwan is now eyeing meaningful participation in two other UN-affiliated organizations — the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

In recent months, he said, Taiwanese embassies and overseas representative offices have been lobbying support from their host countries for the ICAO bid.

Such efforts have borne fruit, as the European Parliament has already passed a resolution supporting Taiwan’s participation in ICAO as an observer, Chang said.

Heads of state of some of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies have also written to the ICAO secretary-general expressing their support for Taiwan’s participation in ICAO activities, he said.

State senates or houses of representatives in eight US states have also passed resolutions backing Taiwan’s observer status in ICAO, he said.

Czech parliamentarians have sent a letter to the ICAO expressing their support for Taiwan’s participation, Chang said.

Taiwan is a linchpin in East Asian aviation services, Chang said, with an average of 1.5 million flights passing through its airspace annually.