Development , adopted at the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 , set bold goals to shift the world onto a sustainable , resilient path . Here was also pledged the formation of a revitalized Global Partnership for Sustainable Development including all countries , all stakeholders and all people , such that no one would be left behind .

Despite such a pledge , Taiwan ’ s 23 million people have been left out of this global effort .

This violates the principle of universality upon which the UN was founded and deprives

Taiwan as well as the international community

Jaushieh Joseph Wu

Minister of Foreign Affairs ,

Republic of China ( Taiwan )

for Reconstruction and Development to assist countries in Central Asia and Central and

Eastern Europe to develop market economies and a green economy .

While Taiwan ’ s valuable contributions have been widely acclaimed around the globe , the UN continues to ignore what Taiwan can offer . Taiwan ’ s tourists , experts and professionals are denied entry into UN premises simply because the UN does not accept the Republic of China ( Taiwan )’ s passport , which is recognized by almost every country in the world . The UN has refused to accredit Taiwan ’ s journalists covering its meetings and activities , yet the work of such people is in the interests of the

of opportunities to work together for the common good .

Taiwan , though not being allowed to participate in the UN ’ s meetings , activities and mechanisms , has never shirked its duties as a responsible stakeholder . In line with the Agenda ’ s recommendation , Taiwan has released its first Voluntary National Review last year , detailing our whole-of-government approach to implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ). The concrete results we have achieved include alleviating poverty , zero hunger , reducing the percentage of low-income households to under 2 percent , cutting the maternal mortality rate to just 11.6 per 100,000 people and under-five child mortality rate to just 2.4 per 1,000 , and improving our literacy rate to 98.7 percent . All of these are well above UN SDG standards .

Taiwan also provides development assistance to other countries . Through the International Cooperation and Development Fund ( Taiwan ICDF ), Taiwan ’ s official development assistance organization , we have launched various programs in the Pacific , Asia , Africa , Latin America , and the Caribbean . These programs aim to help countries in these regions to achieve clean energy , food security , food safety , sustainable agriculture , better education , health and well-being for all age groups , and disaster reduction and adaptation . TaiwanICDF also works with the European Bank

people of Taiwan and the world .

We are extremely disappointed that the UN continues to misuse 1971 ’ s General Assembly Resolution 2758 ( XXVI ) to justify Taiwan ’ s exclusion and isolation . As we have pointed out before , this resolution neither addresses the issue of representation of Taiwan and its people in the UN system nor defines the relationship between Taiwan and China . The so-called one-China principle has been challenged by many UN Member States . It is wrong for the UN , an organization created to serve all of humankind , to unilaterally define Taiwan ’ s status .

Article 1 of the UN Charter proclaims that the purposes of the organization are to “ achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic , social , cultural , and humanitarian character , and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights ." At this critical juncture when humankind is facing multiple challenges , global cooperation that includes all countries , all stakeholders , and all people is ever more important . By excluding a willing and able partner like Taiwan , the UN not only violates the fundamental human rights of Taiwan ’ s 23 million people but also greatly harms human welfare . To ensure the UN remains relevant to all people , the organization should stand up to external pressures and open its doors to Taiwan .