Commentary

Ma’s African visit shows value of ROC foreign aid

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou and Gambian President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh celebrate the signing of their joint communique April 14 in Banjul. (CNA)

• Publication Date：04/15/2012
• Source： Taiwan Today
• By  Nick du Toit

The sight of ROC President Ma Ying-jeou and Gambian President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh announcing their joint communique April 14 in Banjul hammered home the message that for wealthy countries, being a responsible player on the international scene means digging deep and paying more than just lip service to addressing the massive gap between have and have-not nations.

Clearly grasping the importance of making the world a fairer and more prosperous place, Ma is doing what he can to make a difference during a state visit to three of the ROC’s four diplomatic allies in Africa. His 12-day journey, which takes him to Burkina Faso, The Gambia and Swaziland, demonstrates the government’s unshakable commitment to solidifying ties with ROC allies in the region, strengthening aid to these countries and expanding cultural and economic exchanges.

Ma, who arrived in The Gambia on the second leg of his trip April 12, was greeted by Jammeh and a host of high-ranking government officials at Banjul International Airport. The men embraced warmly and Ma was then given the red carpet treatment, including a military honor guard and traditional performances by a troupe of singers and dancers from the West African nation.

Thousands of well-wishers lining the roads cheered and applauded wildly as the presidential motorcade passed on its way from the airport to Ma’s oceanfront hotel. Both leaders were obviously enjoying themselves, smiling broadly and waving enthusiastically to the crowds.

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou inspects GNS Taipei, one of four ex-ROC navy patrol boats donated to The Gambia in 2009, during an April 13 visit to Banjul Naval Port. (Courtesy of Taipei Representative Office in the U.K.)

Later at a state banquet hosted by Jammeh in the capital Banjul, Ma said he was deeply touched by the kindness and hospitality shown to him upon his arrival. The president went on to attribute the closeness of bilateral relations to frequent exchanges through cooperation projects and a scholarship program enabling more than 200 Gambian students to study in Taiwan.

Ma also promised that the ROC government will remain a staunch supporter of The Gambia, providing all necessary assistance to help build a stronger country. At a hotel breakfast briefing with members of the accompanying Taiwan media contingent the next day, the president explained what this commitment entails.

Ma said there can be no deviation from the policy that ROC assistance programs must offer tangible results and help raise living standards of the people. In a nutshell, aid projects carried out under his watch are to carry the hallmarks of accountability, transparency and good governance.

Citing statistics from the government and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the president said that in 2010, Taiwan provided US$390 million in international assistance, accounting for 0.1 percent of gross domestic product.

While this is a praiseworthy achievement, there is still room for improvement. Advanced economies averaged 0.28 percent of GDP in foreign aid expenditure during the same period, with the OECD target 0.7 percent of GDP.

Ma understands that as a former recipient of foreign aid, the ROC should give back to the international community at every opportunity. This is why he promised to assist Burkina Faso in managing an influx of more than 400,000 refugees from neighboring Mali, which suffered a military coup March 22 over the government’s perceived weak response to a growing rebellion by Tuareg nomads in the northern part of the country.

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou toasts bilateral relations at a state banquet hosted by Gambian President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh April 12 in Banjul. (CNA)

After announcing an increase in ROC support from 600,000 euros (US$788,886) to 1.6 million euros April 12 in the capital Ouagadougou, Ma described the commitment as in line with ROC government policy of providing humanitarian aid. While only a small percentage of the estimated 100 million euros needed to address this situation, the donation still stands as a timely reminder for the international community that more needs to be done to resolve this ongoing crisis.

Such a gesture shows the effectiveness of ROC support for its African allies in fostering regional stability by assisting them to overcome challenges common throughout the continent.

On this basis, Ma wants ROC officials to propose new cooperation projects covering areas such as agriculture, energy, health care and infrastructure. These initiatives seek to build upon the numerous achievements already chalked up by the nation’s technical teams during their many years spent working in the region, ensuring that support is provided in the most direct and effective form.

A shining example of this assistance is the ROC-funded “A Lamp Lighting up Africa” project, which helps Burkina Faso students study at night with light-emitting diode, or LED, lamps. Since the project was initiated in 2009, more than 7,000 solar rechargeable lamps have been sent to schools in Burkina Faso, enabling locals to study at home instead of under street lights.

Helping each ROC African ally develop solar power projects is a key step in Ma’s plan to tackle the potentially catastrophic phenomenon of global warming. He also wants the nations to help Taipei do more for them in the international environmental arena by supporting Taiwan’s push for beefed-up participation in the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

In a world tightly linked by trade and investment flows, poverty in one country diminishes the potential for prosperity elsewhere. The Ma administration understands this precept and seeks to improve the quality and quantity of aid for ROC allies in Africa. This guarantees a win-win outcome for all parties and reaffirms the government’s commitment to playing an expanded role in the global partnership for development.

Nick du Toit is a freelance writer based in Kinmen County. These views are the author’s and not necessarily those of Taiwan Today. Copyright © 2012 by Nick du Toit

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