President Chen Shui-bian on September 8 met with Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore and Mrs. Compaore at the Presidential Building. President Chen, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC (Taiwan), expressed a warm welcome to the visitors. President and Mrs. Compaore are in Taiwan not only to attend the First Taiwan-African Heads of State Summit, but also the 2007 Taiwan-Africa Progressive Partnership Forum and the 2007 IWAS World Wheelchair and Amputee Games. President Chen said he is confident that these events will be made all the more meaningful due to the attendance by President and Mrs. Compaore.
The president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC (Taiwan), also took the opportunity to thank the government and people of Burkina Faso for their long friendship and staunch support for Taiwan. Burkina Faso has provided enormous support for and has spoken on behalf of Taiwan in participating in international organizations, entering the World Health Organization (WHO), and applying to join the United Nations (UN) using the name "Taiwan."
President Chen stressed that the Taiwan-African Heads of State Summit is a multilateral conference, focusing on a wide range of constructive issues and centering on the topics of growth and long-lasting concern. In addition to providing suggestions to each country on how to pursue continued economic growth, Taiwan is also sharing its advances in information technology with its African diplomatic allies in the hope of assisting each country in reducing the digital gap. President Chen also said that while Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, it is willing to fulfill its international obligations. Taiwan will continue to devote attention to the topic of environmental sustainability, hoping that countries will pursue not only economic sustainability, but also environmental and health sustainability. This is the reason Taiwan was so eager to join the World Trade Organization and hopes to participate in the World Health Organization. At the Taiwan-African Heads of State Summit, Taiwan will specially advocate the establishment of a World Environmental Organization, and it hopes to receive a strong response for each of its allies, he said.
President Compaore expressed his admiration for President Chen in his determination for carrying out many national initiatives and shouldering his responsibility. He said he believes these initiatives are being implemented with the overall interests of the nation in mind. Topics to be discussed at the summit will focus on challenges facing the globe as well as international cooperation. He said these subjects are both forward-looking and substantive.
President Compaore also reiterated his country's support for Taiwan. He said Burkina Faso will continue to speak on behalf of Taiwan in the international community. "We are one family and we are brothers. Therefore, we are in this fight together," he said. President Compaore endorsed the topics to be discussed at the summit, saying that they focus on human capital. It is precisely because of human capital that people require health, and need a good living environment and economic conditions. The discussion is about more than just economic development, he said.