Special Reports— 3 Creating a Unique Avenue for Taiwan in International Development and Cooperation A better world, a brighter future 4 Special Reports Globalization has brought the international coordinate domestic and overseas development resources, community closer together, creating greater inter- molding itself into an integrated platform for international dependence among countries. Many issues of development cooperation. It is constantly seeking to international concern are no longer addressed by a single strengthen its relationship with government agencies, region or country. Rather, the world as a whole seeks to private companies, and NGOs. In 2006, the TaiwanICDF resolve difficulties and challenges through international was commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ cooperation. Bureau of Foreign Trade to conduct the APEC Digital Opportunity Center (ADOC) Project. To this end, the Resource Integration: A Global Trend TaiwanICDF has not only effectively combined funding In 2005, participants at the G8 Finance Ministers from government agencies with its own expertise in Meeting reached an agreement to provide debt-relief of development work, but has also formed cooperative US$40 billion to 18 developing countries. This historic alliances with Taiwan’s information and communications decision ushered in new hope for the field of global (ICT) industry. This has created a three-pillared approach development work. In 2006, more and more companies toward assistance in reducing the digital divide, and led provided donations or participated in aid work. American to new development opportunities. The TaiwanICDF has investor Warren Buffet, for example, announced that effectively maximized the use of limited resources in its 85% of his personal assets would be used for charitable role as coordinator. purposes, with the majority funneled into medical research and funding for education. Meanwhile, the world’s Overseas Volunteers Program wealthiest individual, Bill Gates, donated US$75 million Enhances Technical Cooperation for the development of a pneumonia vaccine, which Framework has the potential to save the lives of tens of millions of The TaiwanICDF celebrated its 10th birthday in children. Also in 2006, Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank and 2006. At the same time, the TaiwanICDF Overseas its founder Muhammad Yunus were awarded the Nobel Volunteers program also entered its 10th year. The Peace Prize, highlighting the importance of the extension TaiwanICDF established this program in an attempt Special Reports— of microfinance to development work and the alleviation to encourage the public to participate in international Creating a Unique Avenue for Taiwan in of poverty. This was the first time that the Nobel Prize service, and to help people expand their horizons. The International Development and Cooperation selection committee had presented the Peace Prize to an program was the first in Taiwan to center its operations individual and organization working to eradicate poverty, on sending volunteers overseas to engage in development signifying that the international community has come work. Over the past decade, the TaiwanICDF’s volunteers to the understanding that lifting people out of poverty have left footprints in 30 countries around the world, is a vital factor in maintaining peace. This can only be providing assistance in agriculture, education, business achieved by practical development cooperation projects. development, ICT, and health care services. In 2005, the These days, development efforts encompass a wide TaiwanICDF added a short-term volunteers option to the range of areas, including reducing poverty and hunger, program. The aim is to provide an opportunity to a wider and promoting gender equality, education, health care, range of people, with expertise in a variety of fields, to environmental sustainability, financing, and trade. People make contributions to the international community. It is and resources from a variety of disciplines are required hoped that this will, in turn, serve to increase contacts to create a comprehensive development platform that between Taiwan and the world, and lay the roots of a can result in synergy. As Taiwan’s premier development spirit of volunteerism in Taiwan. cooperation organization, the TaiwanICDF works to bring together capital, human talent and technology to create a Scholarship Programs Train Much- four-pronged framework covering banking and finance, needed Manpower technical cooperation, human resource development, In order to increase its presence in the global and humanitarian assistance. The organization seeks to community and give the world a better insight into 4 ▲ The orientation program offers scholarship students the chance to embrace ▲ Volunteer Huang Yu-ting teaches Mandarin at the University of Costa Rica. local culture. Taiwan, the TaiwanICDF established the Higher health standards, is key to getting these nations on the Education Scholarship Programs in 1998. Since that right track to development. The TaiwanICDF was the first time, it has cooperated with universities to create English organization in Taiwan to engage in international medical language programs for overseas students from developing cooperation and has experience in a wide range of countries, providing them with full scholarships at cooperative models. In 2006, the TaiwanICDF established postgraduate and, as of 2006, undergraduate level. the International Healthcare Cooperation Strategic Programs are designed to meet the various social and Alliance (IHCSA) to coordinate the manpower and economic needs of developing countries. The areas of resources of Taiwan’s medical community, and dispatch study offered are geared toward assisting these countries Mobile Medical Missions (MMMs) to provide medical in cultivating specialists in the fields of industrial services to people in places that ordinarily would not technology operations and management, human receive this attention. The alliance also works to provide resources, public health and medicine, and environmental training to health care workers in developing countries. development. The scholarship programs paved the These initiatives are bolstering the quality of medicine, way for the establishment of the Taiwan International medical treatment, and health care in developing Cooperation Alliance (TICA) through which the countries, and are maximizing the international medical TaiwanICDF coordinates resources and facilitates assistance efforts of the TaiwanICDF. communication among universities. The alliance also helps the TaiwanICDF to integrate the experiences and Publicity Efforts Increase Awareness expertise of Taiwan’s universities into its development As the international community increasingly focuses cooperation framework, maximizing Taiwan’s strengths on the topic of development work, more attention is in human resource development in its international being placed on transparency and accountability. In operations. recent years, the TaiwanICDF has released a number of books and pamphlets to publicize its work and Mobile Medical Missions Reach Out educate the public about its initiatives, experiences and to Remote Areas achievements. It has also tried to communicate the spirit Poverty and illness continue to plague many of its international development operations through developing nations. In its efforts to eradicate poverty, the media reports, specialized forums, and in schools. international community cannot neglect the inadequacies Most importantly, the TaiwanICDF seeks to enable the of the health systems in developing countries. Effectively Taiwanese public to understand the true meaning of conquering threats from illness caused by problems like international development cooperation, and give people in poor sanitation, and improving overall medical and public Taiwan and abroad an insight into the contributions that 0 Special Reports Taiwan has made over several decades. In the process, those countries and creates niche markets for Taiwanese the TaiwanICDF hopes to attract more people to engage companies. The TaiwanICDF is also engaged in in international cooperation. It also hopes to initiate even cooperative partnerships with other international and more opportunities for cooperation with other countries domestic non-profit organizations. These experiences and organizations. help to bolster the TaiwanICDF’s ability to execute This Special Reports section will explain how international development projects. In addition, the the TaiwanICDF assembles resources in each area of organization serves as a window for overseas service, development cooperation and cements comprehensive finding avenues for Taiwanese citizens with a passion for development partnerships. On one front, the TaiwanICDF service, or special expertise, to participate in development is commissioned by the government to oversee various cooperation abroad. In the future, the TaiwanICDF will projects and appropriately distribute public resources, continue to function both as an executor of projects maximizing the government’s contribution to international and coordinator of resources. It will work to promote cooperation efforts. On another, the organization acts as development assistance in general, and Taiwan’s a coordinator for the private sector, facilitating trade and contributions in particular, striving to win support for its technical exchanges between Taiwanese companies and efforts from the public both in Taiwan and abroad. partner countries. This enables