Taiwan will donate US$2 million to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) over the next five years to aid in the development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The announcement was made during the 20th annual meeting of the WCPFC this week, held in the Cook Islands.
Speaking at a regular press conference, Foreign Ministry Department of International Organizations Deputy Director Li Kuan-te (李冠德) said that Taiwan has been contributing to the fund since 2017, with a focus on developing fisheries in Pacific island countries, including Taiwan’s diplomatic allies. He says that the donation demonstrates Taiwan's commitment to supporting the development of SIDS.
Li also highlighted Taiwan's recent participation in other international organizations, such as its attendance at a November ministerial meeting of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA) in Prague. IRFBA is an organization promoting global freedom of religion and belief, and Taiwan joined as an observer in 2022. Additionally, Li said that department Director General Jonothan Sun (孫儉元) led a delegation to Lima, Peru this week to join the APEC Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting (ISOM). The meeting included discussions about next year’s APEC summit, which Li says will have the theme of "Empower. Include. Grow."