[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 63 (Monday, May 7, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S2914]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FOOD EMERGENCY
Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, today I wish to submit for the Record my
remarks and a speech by Taiwan's top diplomat in Washington, Jason C.
Yuan, of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, who
announced on April 25, 2012, the donation by his government of 1,150
metric tons of rice to Kenya through Feed the Children, a well-known
and respected charity based in my home State of Oklahoma.
The food emergency in the Horn of Africa is a stark humanitarian
crisis and Kenya simply has not received enough rain to feed its
people. Record-high food prices, internal conflicts, and insecurity in
the region have exacerbated the situation. With malnutrition and
disease on the rise, dane Kenyan families are required to travel long
distances in search of food. It is evident that outside help must be
provided.
The people of Taiwan are providing that help. Its generous gift will
have an immediate impact on relieving the hardships brought on by this
first drought of the 21st century.
Ronald Reagan once said that ``a hungry child knows no politics,''
meaning that the American people are always willing to open up their
hearts and the blessings of their bounty to the less fortunate around
the world. The people of Taiwan are doing the same thing today through
this generous donation.
Some may say that this gracious donation of rice is a mere drop in
the bucket compared to the overall need in Africa. Yet one must
remember that every mighty wave starts with a tiny ripple.
I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record remarks from
Ambassador Jason C. Yuan.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Ambassador Jason C. Yuan's Remarks at the Twin Oaks Estate
Apri1 25, 2012
Mr. Steve Whetstone, Congressman Dan Burton, Ms. Barbara
Schrage of AIT/W, Mr. Mark Powers and Ms. Kiersten Powers of
Senator James Inhofe's Office, ladies and gentlemen, good
morning!
On behalf of my government, I am pleased to announce that
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of
China (Taiwan), in cooperation with the Red Cross of the
Republic of China and Feed the Children have decided to form
an alliance to donate 1,150 metric tons of rice to Kenya, a
country currently suffering a famine. This partnership will
allow the rice donation from Taiwan to be distributed with
the help of FTC in refugee camps, to ongoing relief efforts
in Turkana and to primary schools in Mombasa, Kenya.
Feed the Children is one of the largest international
charities, with its headquarters in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,
and based on Christian values. It has been dedicated to
providing hope and resources for those without life's
essentials throughout the United States and the world for
decades.
Taiwan and FTC have associated in the past and successfully
cooperated in 2005 to deliver 10,000 metric tons of rice to
the tsunami ravaged areas in Indonesia. In 2006 Taiwan
donated 52 containers of new clothing to FTC worth
approximately US $17.6 million, which were later distributed
to more than 16,000 children, orphans, elderly, abandoned and
others in need in 11 countries (Honduras, Nicaragua,
Guatemala, El Salvador, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia,
Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, and Ukraine). In 2007, Taiwan
donated 5,000 metric tons of rice to Kenya and 5,000 metric
tons of rice to Malawi through FTC, to help people in those
two countries suffering from famine. In 2011, Taiwan donated
100 metric tons of rice to restart the Mombasa Kenya School
Feeding Program, benefiting 27,000 children for 2 school
terms.
Enhancing Taiwan's contributions to international
development is one of the three lines of defense that
President Ma Ying-jeou has outlined for the ROC's national
security. As a maturing democracy and thriving economy,
Taiwan has been shouldering our own responsibilities in the
world. Humanitarian work has become an especially important
platform for Taiwan's contributions to the international
community. Taiwan's democracy and economic prosperity have
combined to give rise to a vibrant society of numerous non-
profit organizations. In almost every major disaster relief
program that has occurred in the world recently, Taiwan has
been an important contributor, whether this meant providing
financial aid to help rebuild homes in Sichuan, or giving
life-sustaining medical aid to Haitian children. Taiwan was
also one of the first to arrive with emergency relief
supplies and rescue teams when Japan was struck by the triple
disaster of an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear incident. In
fact, Taiwan ended up donating more than US $200 million to
the Japanese people.
Last week, President Ma just wrapped up a 12-day official
visit to Burkina Faso, Gambia and Swaziland, our three allies
in Africa. Pursuing a policy of viable diplomacy that
requires that all foreign assistance must be justified,
legitimate and efficient, President Ma announced a donation
of US $2.1 million worth of support to Mali refugee
assistance efforts in Burkina Faso, and US $3 million to
emergency food programs in Gambia. The project ``A Lamp
Lighting up Africa'' also helps the students of our West
African allies study at night with LED lamps.
The Republic of China used to be a country that received
economic assistance from other countries, particularly the
United States. Now that we are better off, the least we can
do is to help other people in need. So we look forward to
future cooperation with Feed the Children or other NGOs in
the United States for the good cause. Thank you!
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