Jaushieh Joseph Wu
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
May 19, 2022
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Greetings from Taiwan!
It is my great pleasure to address the opening ceremony of the Regional Forum on Women’s Economic Empowerment in Latin America and the Caribbean. This event is based on a postpandemic economic recovery initiative proposed by Taiwan, to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and build back better.
In this initiative, we partner with our allies in Latin America and the Caribbean to help empower women and youth, and bolster local micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The programs of capacity building, entrepreneurial tools and innovation training are implemented, to provide women and youth with skills they need to pursue their careers in the postpandemic era. We expect more opportunities and competitiveness will be developed, and therefore lead the countries in the region to a more prosperous and resilient future.
Over the years, Taiwan and its diplomatic allies in the region have collaborated closely in different fields. We are delighted to take a further step toward advancing financial inclusion for vulnerable groups. We believe women are the powerful agents of change. Taiwan is willing to share its experience with partners on this important issue. I look forward to learning more about your thoughts, and exploring how Taiwan can work with its allies, like-minded countries, and international organizations, to position gender equality at the heart of postpandemic recovery.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers of this meaningful initiative. This represents a new milestone in the strong ties between Taiwan and Latin America and the Caribbean. I am confident that this platform will benefit communities in the region, and produce new momentum and opportunities that will further advance our mutually beneficial partnership.
I wish this event every success and the best of health and happiness to you all.