October 24, 2018
No.281
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs José María Liu presided over the closing ceremony of the 2018 Pacific Islands Leadership Program with Taiwan (PILP) on October 24. Ambassadors and Representatives from such nations as Australia, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the United States joined Vice Minister Liu at the ceremony to witness 22 participants from 12 Pacific Island nations complete the program. The participants also gave a lively and colorful performance to thank Taiwan and the United States for having organized the PILP, bringing this year’s program to a very satisfying conclusion.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Minister Liu, Palauan Ambassador Dilmei L. Olkeriil, and American Institute in Taiwan Director Brent Christensen provided participants with words of encouragement and discussed their expectations.
Vice Minister Liu said the PILP underlined the close, friendly cooperation between the US, Pacific Island nations, and Taiwan. He said the program, whose purpose was to cultivate the young leaders who will play key roles in shaping the future of the Pacific region, highlighted Taiwan’s commitment as a development partner in the Pacific region, and allowed Taiwan to share its experience with its partners, broaden its understanding of the region, and meet with friends. Noting that the PILP was also an opportunity for participants to meet peers from across the region, establish close interaction, and build their professional networks, Vice Minister Liu asked that they use everything they had seen and heard in Taiwan in contributing to their own countries upon returning home, and continue to maintain their friendships with Taiwan.
In her remarks, Ambassador Olkeriil said that upon becoming leaders in the future and going on to serve their people and countries, the participants should consider how best to serve their peoples’ needs rather than their wants. She also expressed her sincere condolences for the injury and loss of life caused by the recent derailment of a Puyuma Express train.
In his remarks, Director Christensen said Taiwan was an example to the world in such areas as economics, society, public health, education, and the environment. He said the United States applauded the fact that Taiwan had not only overcome numerous challenges in these areas, but more importantly, was also willing to share related experiences with neighboring partners. Noting that the United States is a Pacific Island nation with deep and longstanding ties with the region, he also said the US Indo-Pacific Strategy was strengthening cooperative partnerships throughout the Indo-Pacific, promoting free markets and good governance, and increasing regional stability.
Speaking on behalf of PILP participants, Nauruan participant Octavian Detenamo said the program had focused on providing participants with the leadership-related know-how required to better themselves, their societies, their countries, and the region. He said that having been unacquainted with one another at the start of the program, the group were now able to overcome their challenges with the combined force of a single family. He also said the group were unanimous in wanting to thank Taiwan for its friendly and open attitude, and for providing such an important capacity-building program to Pacific Island nations and the region, which had helped them witness Taiwan’s many development achievements.
When meeting Vice President Chen Chien-jen on the afternoon of October 18, participants told him that they were deeply impressed by the fact that although Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, the government and people of Taiwan are striving to work together with the world to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
This year’s PILP curriculum received a great deal of praise from participants. In addition to the ongoing syllabus, the program also incorporated new content covering such areas as open government, youth entrepreneurship, the circular economy, and leadership know-how. An inaugural NGO forum also saw the group take part in exchanges with NGOs engaged in charity work, humanitarian assistance, sustainable development, and environmental protection.
The PILP has been organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs and the US, Hawaii-based East-West Center since 2012, with both institutions hosting part of the program’s three-month curriculum every year. Having nurtured 144 young Pacific Island leaders to date, the program highlights the determination of Taiwan and the US to cooperate in promoting sustainable development among Pacific Island nations, and is gradually becoming one of the region’s most influential leadership training courses. (E)