Following accusations by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that Taiwan has been behind abusive, racist attacks against him over the past three months amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the government on Thursday detailed the aid it has provided to Ethiopia — Tedros’ home country.
Through semi-official or non-governmental channels, Taiwan has extended humanitarian aid to Ethiopia in a broad range of areas — livelihood improvements, healthcare, nutrition, food/water supply, education, and children and women’s rights — for several years, as well as social support, the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) said.
For example, three Ethiopian nationals participated in the ICDF’s programs on “environment monitoring and catastrophe prevention” and “projection and management of science industrial parks” in 2012, as well as a “clean power development strategy” workshop in 2017, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-affiliated organization said.
Each Ethiopian participant received NT$150,000 (US$4,983 at the current exchange rate) to cover the cost of their airfare, courses, food, accommodation and transportation during their two-week stays in Taiwan, it said.
In 2018, five Ethiopian nationals participated in the “fostering program for medics from friendly countries” in Taiwan, where they received training from Mackay Memorial Hospital and Tri-Service General Hospital free of charge, the ICDF said.
During that group’s one-to-three-month stay in Taiwan, their expenses were covered by a number of agencies, with the ICDF paying NT$70,000 for each of them, it said.
Taiwanese private-sector groups — including the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families, World Vision and other non-governmental organizations — have also extended assistance to Ethiopia in the form of fundraising, child adoptions and cooperative ventures.
Last month, an Ethiopian exchange student in Taiwan underwent an operation for deep vein thrombosis, the cost of which — NT$1.45 million — was paid by the hospital, the Taiwan chapter of Kiwanis International and donations from members of the public.
Meanwhile, the government has also worked with Eswatini — Taiwan’s sole diplomatic ally in Africa.
Ministry Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director Ali Yang (楊心怡) said that the nation’s embassy in Eswatini has teamed up with Taiwan’s agricultural mission to hold seminars as part of its efforts to help foreign diplomatic missions and Taiwanese businesspeople overseas combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The embassy has purchased protective gear, gloves, disposable hair caps and shoe covers and alcohol hand sanitizer from neighboring countries for medical personnel in Eswatini, Yang said, adding that 60,000 masks donated by Taiwan are to arrive soon.
Government agencies and private entities from Jordan, Mongolia, Nigeria and Kuwait have sought Taiwan’s assistance in the fight against the novel coronavirus, he said.
The ministry is engaged in many relevant projects, pending further instructions from the Central Epidemic Command Center, he added.
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