A Canadian lawmaker has voiced his support for Taiwan's participation in the UN's sustainable development projects.
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, Canadian Senator Leo Housakos said: "As a beacon of democracy in the region, the time is long past due that Taiwan is welcomed as a partner within the UN system".
This comes as the UN convened its 76th General Assembly in New York City. The UN and its specialized agencies continue to reject Taiwan, citing the 1971 U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI) as a legal basis for the exclusion, Taipei Times reported.
The General Assembly's theme of COVID-19 resilience, global ecological sustainability and revitalizing the UN "cries out for Taiwan's inclusion in the UN system and represents an opportunity to bring Taiwan's 23.5 million people into its fold," he said.
Taiwan's effective response to the pandemic, relevance to global supply chains and willingness to aid partner countries, including giving personal protective equipment to Canada, prove the contribution Taiwan could make to the UN, he said.
Guterres is urged to address the unjust exclusion of Taiwanese from its system, and correct its discriminatory policy against the holders of the country's passports, Housakos said.
Taiwan, as the Republic of China, left the UN in 1971, when the PRC took its place, and has since been excluded from its special agencies, Focus Taiwan reported.
"It has been 50 years since the fateful decision to exclude Taiwan in favour of wrongfully having their interests represented by the People's Republic of China. This ongoing injustice appears predicated on the UN Secretariat's wrongful interpretation of Resolution 2758," the letter noted.
Taiwan has over the years campaigned for its participation in the activities, mechanisms and meetings of the UN.
Additionally, Guterres should take steps to "ensure that Taiwan is afforded the right to participate in a dignified and equal manner in meetings, mechanisms and activities related to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals," he said.
Last week, two members of the US House of Representatives on Thursday urged the US government to support UN membership for Taiwan.
In a letter addressed to US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Republican Representatives Scott Perry and Tom Tiffany called on the ambassador to "use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to secure Taiwan's ascension."
( With inputs from ANI )
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