President of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) Liberato Bautista visited Radio Taiwan International (Rti) on Friday to speak on non-governmental organization (NGO) participation in the international community. Bautista is in Taipei for the 2023 NGO Leaders Forum.
In an exclusive interview with Rti, Bautista said that CoNGO acts as a bridge between NGOs and the UN, and is committed to helping promote important issues such as eradicating poverty and hunger. He says that the participation of NGOs in the international community transcends national boundaries. However, he adds that due to the many factors challenging democracies around the world, the current space for NGO activities and participation is being restricted and needs to be expanded.
In response to suggestions that Taiwan NGOs participate in the international community, Bautista says that the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) advocate to “leave no one behind”, and Taiwan's contribution to the international community should not be based on its political status. He says that Taiwanese NGOs should cooperate with their counterparts around the world to strengthen international communication, which will in turn promote Taiwan's position.
Bautista, who has been elected as CoNGO president three times, says that his third term will focus on defining the current global situation and shaping it in line with the UN’s sustainable development goals.