To: Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization
Let Taiwan participate in the 2019 World Health Assembly (WHA)
We sincerely implore WHO and Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, based on the following reasons, consider granting membership and issuing an invitation letter for Taiwan to participate in the 72nd WHA in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2019.
Why is this important?
As stipulated in the Constitution of the World Health Organization, “The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.” Furthermore, the UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/70/1 stated, “As we embark on this great collective journey [toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development], we pledge that no one will be left behind.”
While Taiwan was not invited to attend the World Health Assembly either in 2017 or 2018 as an Observer, it has sought to participate in technical meetings, mechanisms, and activities of the WHA and World Health Organization for many years. To this end, Taiwan has won the understanding and support of many nations, which have taken concrete action backing Taiwan. We will continue our effort to ensure the health and wellbeing of the 23 million people of Taiwan as well as of the whole human race.
Taiwan’s participation can help WHO to establish a sound global health system. In recent years, Taiwan has successfully transformed its role on the international stage from aid recipient to assistance provider. It has established a comprehensive disease prevention system and organized numerous training workshops aimed at building capacity to prevent diseases in the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, thereby facilitating collective efforts to strengthen global health security. Meanwhile, Taiwan needs the WHO to protect the health of its own people as well as those in the region and the entire world. Through its participation in the WHA and the WHO, it could share its experience with other countries, make timely reporting and acquire information on diseases, and play a constructive role in global health protection. This would create a win-win scenario for Taiwan, the WHO, and the world community.
In the future, Taiwan will continue to seek participation in this year’s 72nd WHA as well as WHO technical meetings, mechanisms, and activities. This will help ensure the complete early realization of WHO’s vision of health as a human right.
(CHINESE TRANSLATION BELOW)
支持臺灣參與「世界衛生組織」(WHO)
及2019年「世界衛生大會」(WHA)
我們誠懇呼籲世界衛生組織（WHO）及總幹事Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus， 基於下列考量，請慎重考慮發出邀請函給臺灣，讓臺灣參與「世界衛生組織」(WHO) 及今年五月下旬在瑞士日內瓦召開之第72屆世界衛生大會（WHA）。
依據《WHO憲章》，「享受最高而能獲致之健康標準，為人人基本權利之一。不因種族、宗教、政治信仰、經濟或社會情境各異，而分軒輊。」 且「在踏上這一共同道路 (達成2030永續發展議程)時，我們保證，絕不會遺漏任何一個人。」《聯合國大會第A/RES/70/1號決議》
2017年及2018年臺灣雖未能受邀以觀察員身分出席WHA，但多年來臺灣積極爭取參與WHA及WHO相關技術性會議、機制及活動的訴求，已獲得越來越多國家瞭解及支持，並以具體行動助我。為了臺灣2,300萬人及全人類的健康，我們將持續努力。
臺灣的參與可以幫助WHO建立健全的全球衛生體系。近年來，臺灣已經成功的從一個國際援助的接受者轉變成為國際援助的提供者；現已建構完善的防疫體系，並辦理多場國際訓練營，以提升亞太及東南亞地區防疫量能，共同強化全球衛生安全。同時，臺灣也需要WHO，以守護臺灣、區域乃至全人類健康。臺灣參與WHA及WHO，將可與各國分享經驗，即時通報、取得疾病資訊，以及對全球衛生做出重要的貢獻，並達成臺灣、WHO與國際社會的多贏局面。
未來，臺灣將持續爭取國際社會之認同，秉持「專業、務實、有貢獻」之原則，持續積極爭取參與今年第72屆WHA及WHO相關技術性會議、機制及活動，以促成WHO「健康是基本人權」願景之早日實現。
While Taiwan was not invited to attend the World Health Assembly either in 2017 or 2018 as an Observer, it has sought to participate in technical meetings, mechanisms, and activities of the WHA and World Health Organization for many years. To this end, Taiwan has won the understanding and support of many nations, which have taken concrete action backing Taiwan. We will continue our effort to ensure the health and wellbeing of the 23 million people of Taiwan as well as of the whole human race.
Taiwan’s participation can help WHO to establish a sound global health system. In recent years, Taiwan has successfully transformed its role on the international stage from aid recipient to assistance provider. It has established a comprehensive disease prevention system and organized numerous training workshops aimed at building capacity to prevent diseases in the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, thereby facilitating collective efforts to strengthen global health security. Meanwhile, Taiwan needs the WHO to protect the health of its own people as well as those in the region and the entire world. Through its participation in the WHA and the WHO, it could share its experience with other countries, make timely reporting and acquire information on diseases, and play a constructive role in global health protection. This would create a win-win scenario for Taiwan, the WHO, and the world community.
In the future, Taiwan will continue to seek participation in this year’s 72nd WHA as well as WHO technical meetings, mechanisms, and activities. This will help ensure the complete early realization of WHO’s vision of health as a human right.
(CHINESE TRANSLATION BELOW)
支持臺灣參與「世界衛生組織」(WHO)
及2019年「世界衛生大會」(WHA)
我們誠懇呼籲世界衛生組織（WHO）及總幹事Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus， 基於下列考量，請慎重考慮發出邀請函給臺灣，讓臺灣參與「世界衛生組織」(WHO) 及今年五月下旬在瑞士日內瓦召開之第72屆世界衛生大會（WHA）。
依據《WHO憲章》，「享受最高而能獲致之健康標準，為人人基本權利之一。不因種族、宗教、政治信仰、經濟或社會情境各異，而分軒輊。」 且「在踏上這一共同道路 (達成2030永續發展議程)時，我們保證，絕不會遺漏任何一個人。」《聯合國大會第A/RES/70/1號決議》
2017年及2018年臺灣雖未能受邀以觀察員身分出席WHA，但多年來臺灣積極爭取參與WHA及WHO相關技術性會議、機制及活動的訴求，已獲得越來越多國家瞭解及支持，並以具體行動助我。為了臺灣2,300萬人及全人類的健康，我們將持續努力。
臺灣的參與可以幫助WHO建立健全的全球衛生體系。近年來，臺灣已經成功的從一個國際援助的接受者轉變成為國際援助的提供者；現已建構完善的防疫體系，並辦理多場國際訓練營，以提升亞太及東南亞地區防疫量能，共同強化全球衛生安全。同時，臺灣也需要WHO，以守護臺灣、區域乃至全人類健康。臺灣參與WHA及WHO，將可與各國分享經驗，即時通報、取得疾病資訊，以及對全球衛生做出重要的貢獻，並達成臺灣、WHO與國際社會的多贏局面。
未來，臺灣將持續爭取國際社會之認同，秉持「專業、務實、有貢獻」之原則，持續積極爭取參與今年第72屆WHA及WHO相關技術性會議、機制及活動，以促成WHO「健康是基本人權」願景之早日實現。