BARRED:The ministry has also questioned reports that the UN Information Service would only let journalists from UN-recognized nations to cover next week’s assembly
Taipei Times
Date: May 16, 2017
By: Staff writer, with CNA
The government is pushing for participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) in
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan speaks on Sunday at the Belt and Road Forum at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. Photo: AFP
Geneva, Switzerland, with the help of the nation’s diplomatic allies, after not receiving an invitation to the annual meeting this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
At Taiwan’s request, the diplomatic allies have written separately to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan (陳馮富珍) proposing that the issue of “inviting Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer” be included in the meeting’s agenda, which is set to begin on Monday next week, the ministry said.
The WHA is the decisionmaking body of the WHO.
The ministry expressed its appreciation to the allies, which it did not name, for their assistance, and urged the WHO and its members to recognize that Taiwan is an indispensable part of the global disease surveillance system and to respect Taiwanese’s right to health. [FULL STORY]