Experts from 10 countries in the Indo-Pacific region yesterday gathered in Nantou County for a workshop on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief under the Taiwan-US Global Cooperation and Training Framework.
The workshop was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) at the National Fire Agency Training Center in Jhushan Township (竹山).
It was designed to boost international cooperation to integrate private, civil and public-sector disaster-response measures with regional preparedness and response efforts. It was the 15th workshop and the second one on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief since the framework was implemented in 2015.
Photo: Hsieh Chieh-yu, Taipei Times
AIT Deputy Director Raymond Greene said that yesterday’s workshop highlighted the US’ belief that Taiwan is a regional leader in disaster prevention and response.
“Since the destruction wrought by the Sept. 21 earthquake in 1999, Taiwan has worked hard to develop its ability to respond to the various kinds of natural disasters that can occur here and in doing so has become a model of disaster preparedness for the region,” Greene said.
Moreover, Taiwan continues to demonstrate its desire to help others in need, as seen by its quick response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013, and the flooding and landslides in Japan this year, he said.
“Disasters can happen at any time and any place. Asia, in particular, is susceptible to a wide range of natural disasters, from earthquakes to typhoons,” Greene said, adding that some participants were not able to attend the workshop because they had to respond to emergencies at home.
Greene said that generating a robust domestic and international response to natural disasters is essential to ensuring that each of their communities, and the region as a whole, could rebound quickly.
He said one of the AIT’s top priorities is to promote Taiwan’s international participation.
“As we face a multitude of global challenges, we cannot afford to exclude a partner with so much to offer the world. Taiwan’s leadership and contributions can play an important role in advancing a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific,” Greene said.
He said that through the framework, Taiwan and the US have brought together hundreds of officials and experts from across the Indo-Pacific region to share best practices in many different areas, from public health to women’s entrepreneurship and media literacy.
The workshop was also attended by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉), National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction deputy executive secretary Li Wei-sen (李維森) and the training center’s director, Lee Ming-hsien (李明憲).
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