TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the fourth day of the United Nations general debate ends on Saturday (Sept. 24), nine of Taiwan’s allies have voiced support for Taiwan’s membership.

On Wednesday (Sept. 20), the first day of the debate, Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez told the U.N. General Assembly, “Today’s difficult context requires that we tackle global problems together, with no exclusions. In this regard, my country underscores our support for the request of the Republic of China, Taiwan to be a full member of the United Nations system.”

Benitez added, “We are convinced of the valuable contribution that its participation would make to the multilateral system.” He also expressed solidarity with those affected by the recent earthquake in Taiwan that had caused widespread disaster.

Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez speaks at the U.N. general debate. (Youtube, United Nations screenshot)

Marshall Islands President David Kabua started by condemning China for its military actions around Taiwan. He echoed Benitez and said, “The United Nations must be truly universal, all-embracing, and all-inclusive, and we must guard against leaving any nation or people outside the gate and in the cold. Today, we call on the U.N. to better welcome Taiwan and its people into our global family.”

“How long will the U.N. persist in closing its doors and thereby denying access to the people of Taiwan?” he asked. “Taiwan is a vibrant and responsible democracy, a contributing member of our global family, and the United Nations’ circle of unity will remain incomplete without Taiwan and its people.”

Kabua criticized the U.N. Secretariat for too often citing the “politically-motivated interpretations” of Resolution 2758 when responding to opportunities for the participation of Taiwan in the U.N. system. He said it is better that Taiwan joins the community to make contributions.

Marshall Islands President David Kabua demands Taiwan's inclusion in the U.N. (Youtube, United Nations screenshot)

Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei called for the U.N. to recognize Taiwan.

He began with an argument highlighting the importance of recognizing sovereignty by saying, “The sovereignty of states is fundamental in bilateral and multilateral relations. Regardless of how big or small countries may be, relations must be based on respectful treatment, and we must recall that no country or organization can or must interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.”

“But it is not always this way,” he added. As the world faces new crises caused by the willful overlooking of sovereignty, Giammattei said, the United Nations will not be able to resolve global-scale conflicts as the world’s “guardian” if it is not inclusive of all states.

Therefore, he said Guatemala joins the global call for the end to the war in Ukraine as well as the threats to the sovereignty of Taiwan. As one of the founding member states of the U.N., Guatemala is supportive of and ready for a transformation that facilitates international collaboration and multilateralism.

He said it was  Taiwan’s right to join the U.N. and also be recognized in status as a country, “because it has been denied this right by one of the permanent members of the Security Council.”

Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei calls on the UN to recognize Taiwan's sovereignty. (Youtube, United Nations screenshot)

Meanwhile, though Honduras President Xiomara Castro spoke at the General Assembly for the first time since her election, she did not mention any support for Taiwan. This marks the seventh year Honduras has not spoken up for Taiwan at the assembly.

During the second day’s debate on Thursday (Sept. 21), Eswatini King Mswati III mentioned Taiwan’s inability to access World Health Organization (WHO) programs and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic and appealed for the U.N. to consider Taiwan’s full participation in its agencies. He said the country is “confident” the world “would benefit substantially from Taiwan’s meaningful participation.”

“The Kingdom of Eswatini calls upon the United Nations to make necessary arrangements for Taiwan to significantly participate in relevant U.N. specialized agencies and mechanisms.”

King Mswati III of Eswatini addresses the U.N. General Assembly. (Youtube, United Nations screenshot)

In Palau Foreign Minister Gustav Aitaro’s speech, he first thanked Taiwan and other allies for providing aid during the COVID pandemic, which helped minimize its impact on the country. He also thanked Taiwan for upgrading Palau’s conference venues when it co-hosted the Our Ocean Conference.

While the U.N. is “an important mechanism for achieving international peace and security and sustainable development for all countries,” he added, it should demonstrate leadership through accepting Taiwan into the system. “Most U.N. member states accept Taiwan passports, so too should the U.N. system recognize and incorporate the Taiwanese people and enrich this body with the benefits of their participation.”

According to Aitaro, Taiwan’s membership “is a realization of the core principles of the U.N. Charter,” as Taiwan is a valuable partner in combating climate change and COVID.

Palau Foreign Minister Gustav Aitaro thanks Taiwan for providing aid during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Youtube, United Nations screenshot)

Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip Joseph Pierre, who spoke on Saturday, “lamented” the recently escalated tensions across the Taiwan Strait that threatened regional and international peace and security. He called for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the U.N. and its agencies.

“The people of Taiwan have freely determined their political status and ought to be allowed to continue their chosen path to economic, social and cultural development and to confirm their right to self-determination,” he added.

Following Pierre, Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Micheal Drew highlighted the power of democratic friendships. In his speech, he said, as Taiwan has been a long-standing friend and a partner committed to sustainable development, the country’s support for Taiwan’s participation in the U.N. remains “unswerving.”

Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip Joseph Pierre laments the escalated tensions across the Taiwan Strait. (Youtube, United Nations screenshot)

Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Michael Drew highlights the power of democratic friendships. (Youtube, United Nations screenshot)

Belize Prime Minister John Briceno said as he took the podium that he did so “with a heavy heart.” He said this year, he is more pessimistic.

“We have come to depend on the multilateral system that has, at its center, the charter of this, our United Nations … Where is the collective will to adequately address the challenges of our time? Where is the shared conviction to work together for the betterment of mankind? Where is the hope?” he asked.

He mentioned the ongoing conflicts around the world and heightened regional tensions, calling them “wrong.” “International cooperation and solidarity have been supplanted by nationalism and unilateralism,” he said.

Belize Prime Minister John Briceno tells the U.N. to "yield to the greater good" and let Taiwan take its place among the ranks of the world's countries. (Youtube, United Nations screenshot)

He told the assembly that Taiwan, an exemplary Asian country in many respects, continues to be excluded from the international community and remains unable to participate and contribute to functional multilateral ventures. He said the U.N. policy that promotes Taiwan exclusion “must yield to the greater good,” and Taiwan should be allowed to “take its rightful place” within the global community.

Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano also warned the assembly about global crises, which have become “more complex, interlinked and transboundary in their impacts.” He said it is “regrettable” that Taiwan continues to be blocked from the U.N.

Natano credited Taiwan for helping Tuvalu with issues regarding agriculture, food security, public health, medicine, clean energy, and the economic and social impacts of COVID. He said Tuvalu strongly supports Taiwan’s readmission into the U..N “as a founding member” as well as its active participation in the U.N.’s agencies, including the WHO, International Civil Aviation Organization, and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano warns that the world's crises have become “more complex, interlinked and transboundary in their impacts.” (Youtube, United Nations screenshot)