In a virtual ceremony held on November 18th, 2020, Taiwan’s Representative to the United States, Ambassador Bi-khim Hsiao, and Managing Director Ingrid Larson of American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) signed a Funding Arrangement Regarding Stabilization Assistance in Certain Areas of Syria. They were joined by senior U.S. officials, including Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ambassador Atul Keshap from the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Deputy Assistant Secretary Chris Backemeyer from the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and Acting Deputy Special Envoy David Schlaefer from the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
In her remarks, Ambassador Hsiao stressed that, “as a free and open democracy, it is our moral and national security imperative to work with global democracies to defend our shared values and safeguard peace and stability collectively.” She also highlighted that Taiwan, as part of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, will pledge $500,000 to help Syrian children in the liberated communities re-integrate into the formal education system. Taiwan will continue to work with the U.S. and other like-minded countries to ensure the peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and other corners of the world for generations to come.
Taiwan has been a member of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS since October, 2014. The Coalition currently has 83 members. As a member of the Coalition and a reliable partner of the international community, Taiwan’s government and NGOs have provided over $35 million in cash and in-kind humanitarian assistance to ISIS refugees in countries such as Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Turkey in recent years. Taiwan’s contribution includes temporary housing units, mobile hospital, as well as equipment for de-mining operations, which aim to help stabilize the local environment, alleviate a looming refugee crisis, and lower the risk of ISIS reemerging.
