As the Taiwan-Africa Summit progresses in Taipei, African delegates and their Taiwanese hosts have got down to brass tacks, discussing important areas of assistance that the Republic of China on Taiwan could provide her African allies. In furtherance of the objective, on Monday, September 10th 2007 saw the gathering of government officials, congressmen, leaders of political parties, scholars, representatives from Africa, Taiwan and NGOs at the Grand Hotel in Taipei to participate in the “2007 Taiwan-African Progressive Partnership Forum.” By participating in the forum the representatives in attendance wished to enforce bilateral co-operation, establish closer partnerships, and pursue the prosperity and sustainable development of humankind.

After the reports and discussions of each issue in the forum, consensus was reached on the following points:

1. In information technology and digital innovation, Taiwan is willing to promote cooperative partnerships with African countries due to Taiwan’s advanced information technology development. The goal is to help shorten the digital gap in Africa, and create more opportunities and growth in digital technology. It is possible that by transferring information technology gradually to African nations, a new “E-society” could be developed in Africa.

2. In business management and trade investment, Taiwan is willing to share its successful experience in management of small & middle-sized enterprises as well as concrete performance and professional technical development in expanding international trade and overseas investment. In addition, Taiwan reaffirmed its wish to establish cooperative partnerships with Africa and help African countries to diversify productive economic activity as well as to encourage export trade. In doing so, Taiwan’s goal is to realize true economic growth in Africa and to create and increase working opportunities, reduce poverty and to eradicate social injustice.

3. In terms of hygiene and international medical cooperation, Taiwan is willing to share its successful experience in medicine and public hygiene. By developing medical cooperation with Africa, the goal is to help in the fight against the spread of AIDS as well as to promote safe sex and birth control in order to promote the political, economic, social and educational development of Africa.

4. Since development and environmental issues often coincide, sustainable development will be a common focal point between Taiwan and Africa. Taiwan is willing to cooperate in terms of scientific research with Africa, especially in environmental protection. Without concrete cooperation between Taiwan and Africa to prevent the further deterioration of the environment, the health and welfare of the African people will be unavoidably affected.

5. Taiwan is willing to offer international humanitarian assistance to Africa via governmental development aid as well as NGOs.  By establishing middle and long term cooperative agendas, Taiwan wishes to improve the many dilemmas and obstacles that remain in the development of African countries.

6. In agricultural technical development and transnational cooperation, Taiwan is willing to share its agricultural technology and experience in agricultural development. In order to accomplish this, Taiwan can send agricultural technical groups and hold training classes to help African agricultural development and growth, as well as to increase the production and marketability of vegetables and fruits, food processing, rural area construction, and the like. In doing this, Taiwan hopes to improve the living standard of the huge population of African peasants.

In conclusion, in order to fulfill the above concrete goals, Taiwan underlined its willingness to treat the “Taiwan-African Progressive Partnership Forum” as a contact platform for interaction, coordination and cooperation with Africa in the future. It emphasised its belief in the establishment of these measures, noting that it is definitely possible to deepen the cooperative partnership between Taiwan and Africa as well as to achieve prosperous progress and sustainable development under the framework of the “Millennial Development Goals” and the “New Partnership for Africa’s Development.”