Taiwan signed an aid agreement with the United States to support development plans for communities in northeastern Syria on Tuesday. Newly appointed representative to the U.S. Alexander Yui (俞大㵢), who only took up his post on Monday, visited the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) in Washington to sign the agreement alongside AIT Managing Director Ingrid Larson.
AIT says that the donation from Taiwan will be directed towards projects in the Syrian cities of Hasakah and Deir Ezzor, focusing on enhancing local public health, improving quality of life, and providing training for first responders. AIT says the aid will revitalize and strengthen civil society in northeastern Syria.
Yui says that the world is facing challenges such as coercion by authoritarian regimes and international terrorism. However, he says Taiwan is able and willing to play a more active role in global issues and to work with international partners to promote regional and global prosperity. Yui says the donation demonstrates Taiwan’s determination to actively participate in humanitarian aid around the world.
The agreement is part of Taiwan’s participation in The Global Coalition against Daesh, which describes itself as “a unique partnership of 87 governments and institutions working to degrade and defeat Daesh,” also known as ISIS. Taiwan joined the coalition in 2014 and has provided humanitarian assistance to areas formerly occupied by Daesh in recent years.