UNPO Statement of Support on Taiwan’s bid to have a meaningful participation in the UNFCC and ICAO

Oct. 15, 2009 - PRLog -- UNPO Statement of Support on Taiwan’s bid to have a “meaningful participation” in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

The Hague, 15 October 2009

Established in 1991, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) is an international membership organization, representing nations and peoples worldwide aiming to provide these groups with a voice in international fora. The organization is comprised of fifty four different Member groups, and currently represents more than 150 million people on a global scale. Taiwan was one of the founding Members of UNPO.

Since 1971, the Taiwanese people have suffered a marked lack of representation on the international stage, including access to the work of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Recent catastrophic natural calamities particularly in Asia have been neglected in the international debate on climate change and strategies have failed to identify how to mitigate and address their effects. In addition, participation in the ICAO is important when keeping in mind Taiwan’s pivotal position in East Asian air traffic.

UNPO believes that there is an urgent need to address this state of affairs.

UNPO would hereby like to convey its strong support for the participation of democratic Taiwan in the UNFCCC.

Moreover, UNPO firmly believes Taiwan should be a Member State of the ICAO to further guarantee flight safety and expand its international participation for a “safe, secure and sustainable development of civil aviation”.

UNPO would like to reiterate its full support for the immediate inclusion of Taiwan in these UN-affiliated organizations.

UNPO calls on the international community to support Taiwan’s “meaningful participation” in the UNFCCC and ICAO to ensure that Taiwan as an under-represented group is able to fully participate as an equal.

# # #

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) is an international, nonviolent, and democratic membership organisation. Its members are indigenous peoples, minorities, and unrecognised or occupied territories who have joined together to protect and promote their human and cultural rights, to preserve their environments, and to find nonviolent solutions to conflicts which affect them.

Although the aspirations of UNPO Members differ greatly, they are all united by one shared condition – they are not adequately represented at major international fora, such as the United Nations. As a consequence, their opportunity to participate on the international stage is significantly limited, as is their ability to access and draw upon the support of the global bodies mandated to defend their rights, protect their environments, and mitigate the effects of conflict.