Disaster mitigation project launched by Taiwan in Guatemala

2016/11/08

A Taiwan-funded disaster mitigation project was launched Nov. 4 in Republic of China (Taiwan) diplomatic ally Guatemala as part of the government’s long-term efforts to work with the Central American nation in better coping with the impact of climate change.

Implemented by Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S. and Washington-based Pan American Development Foundation, the one-year initiative is expected to benefit more than 5,000 residents in Mixco, a disaster-prone municipality northwest of Guatemala City, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Taiwan is pleased to support the international community in adapting to climate change and responding to natural disasters,” ROC Ambassador to Guatemala John C. C. Lai said during the inauguration ceremony.

Climate change has created numerous unexpected natural calamities, with Taiwan and Guatemala both affected by global warming, Lai said, adding that “it is our hope that through careful preparation, we can save lives.”

According to Lai, as a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan is working closely with organizations like Guatemalan National Coordination for Disaster Reduction and Coordination Center for Natural Disaster Prevention in Central America to organize disaster mitigation projects and related infrastructure.

In response, Lucia Espana, technical head of PADF Guatemala, said the foundation is excited about expanding its partnership with Taiwan, as Guatemala ranks fifth worldwide in economic risks due to hazards including floods, landslides and earthquakes. The PADF will cooperate with authorities and nongovernmental organizations in providing training and equipment so as to make local communities less vulnerable to hazards, she added.

Taiwan and the PADF teamed up in 2012 on the Taiwan-PADF Disaster Assistance and Reconstruction Fund. To date, the five-year, US$2.5 million project has benefitted more than 300,000 individuals in Belize, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, all ROC diplomatic allies.

The PADF was established in 1962 under the auspices of the Organization of American States. It is dedicated to serving vulnerable people in Latin America and the Caribbean through sustainable community development.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=249280&ctNode=2194&mp=9)