Remarks by Ambassador Chenhwa Lou on Somaliland National Climate Change Policy

It is my pleasure to join today’s launching ceremony of the Somaliland National Climate Change Policy, which sets the tone for Somaliland’s next joint Climate Action. The moves to combat climate challenge is in line with Somaliland’s National Development Phase III, which highlights marine reserves, food reserves, wildlife protection, disaster preparedness and response and community awareness campaigns. Congratulations for the efforts and achievements. Hambalyo, Hambalyo, Hambalyo.

Taiwan’s Climate Change and Environment Policy

Climate change is an issue that involves the whole world, an issue of no boundary. As a responsible stateholder of the international community, Taiwan has been proactively tackling climate challenges in their wakes, alongside other international partners toward the common goal of net-zero emissions. Taiwan is setting ambitious 2050 net-zero target and complying with international norms under the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Taiwan Model of Climate Change Cooperation in Somaliland

Since Taiwan is Somaliland’s close ally, climate change is actually an integral part in many of our ongoing and upcoming cooperations in Somaliland.

In terms of food security, Taiwan provides humanitarian assistance annually and Internally Displaced People (IDPs) this year. Taiwan Technical Mission also has agricultural experts stationed in Somaliland to administer the demonstration farm, share agricultural knowledge to local farmers through seminars, and help farms grow sweet corns, sweet potatoes, dragon fruit, eggplants using quality seeds from Taiwan. If you find locally-grown sweet potatoes and sweet corns in stores from time to time, they could be traced to our agricultural project. This shows the projects are bearing fruits.

In terms of marine reserves,  there are start-up workshops for Fisheries Livelihood Support Project in Berbera, fully funded by World Vision Taiwan and managed by World Vision Somaliland. The project provides Berbera fishermen with fishing boats, cold chain logistics, fishing and preservation techniques to enhance small-scale fisheries, contributes to ecological sustainability, and improve the livelihood of fishing community. This is another people-centric example of Taiwan-Model Cooperation.

In terms of biodiversity, Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture  to fund Cheetah Conservation Fund to ensure the biodiversity and to help the wild survive. TaiwanICDF also dispatched volunteers to Somaliland to work with CCF. We believe that environment protection of both animals and landscape would enhance Somaliland’s climate resilience, which would in turn lays a solid foundation for the future development of eco-tourism.

In terms of emergency response, TaiwanICDF and Ministry of Health Development had signed Implementing Arrangement for “Public Health Emergency Response System Enhancement Project” so that Taiwan could channel the top tier medical capacity into Somaliland.

In terms of green energy, the newly launched Taiwan Business Association in Somaliland (TBAIS) could be the ideal platform for sharing potential business opportunities and for catalyzing business cooperation in energy and other sectors.

In terms of capacity building for the cultivation of climate resilience, Taiwan Scholarship, Taiwan Fellowship and professional workshops held in Taiwan are provided. The application guideline for TaiwanICDF scholarship is already published on our Facebook and Twitter page named Taiwan in Somaliland, and all are welcome to apply for it.

It was delighted to arrange the meeting between  Honorable Minister Shukri and Taiwan’s Minister of Environment Shieu Fu-Sheng to discuss many aspects of climate change issues in UNFCCC COP28 UAE.  Minister Shieu had extended the invitation to Minister Shukri to visit Taiwan next year, so we could navigate the path for further cooperation.