Taiwan hopes aid will encourage other countries to help as well: MOFA official
By George Liao
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — On Wednesday (Sept. 28), Taiwan donated 300 tons of rice to Somaliland, a country in the Horn of Africa, to help it fight a drought in the region, which has experienced a lack of rain spanning five rainy seasons, Liberty Times reported.
On behalf of the Taiwanese government, Representative to Somaliland Allen Lou (羅震華) on Wednesday handed over bags of rice printed with “Love from Taiwan.” The rice, totaling 300 tons, was given to Somaliland’s Vice-President Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail.
Wu Cheng-wei (吳正偉), deputy director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of West Asian and African Affairs, said that this emergency humanitarian aid will benefit 10,000 households.
Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi has twice called on the international community to help his country fight the drought, and Taiwan responded accordingly, Wu added. Taiwan made a US$500,000 donation to the government of Somaliland in February prior to the rice donation on Wednesday.
It is hoped that Taiwan’s delivery of aid will help relieve the plight of the people of Somaliland and encourage other countries to help as well, Wu added.
Source: Taiwan News
