Remarks by Minister Dr. Lin Chia-lung at the Achievement Presentation of the Women’s Micro-Financing Revolving Fund

Remarks by Minister Dr. Lin Chia-lung at the Achievement Presentation of the Women's Micro-Financing Revolving Fund

• Data Source：Department of West Asian and African Affairs
• Date：2025-04-23

Dr. Lin Chia-lung

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Republic of China (Taiwan)

April 23, 2025

(As Prepared for Delivery)

Ladies and gentlemen:

Good afternoon!

Not long ago, I heard a truly touching story. It was about a woman named Nomfundo Mabuza from a rural community in Eswatini. She used a loan from the revolving fund to expand her maize and vegetable farm. Through hard work and determination, she successfully grew her business. She not only improved the living standards of her own family but also hired other women to work for her, creating more job opportunities for her community.

What moved me even more was that she named her newborn baby Taiwan to thank Taiwan for helping her expand her business. The story illustrates the importance of women's empowerment. When women are given opportunities, they not only improve their own lives. They also help their families, strengthen their communities, and make a positive contribution to the whole country.

In 2023, Taiwan invested one million US dollars to establish the revolving fund. The money has been used to help women and young people in rural areas to start their own businesses. Seed funding has helped increase household income and in the long run will contribute to economic development.

Over the past year, we have seen how the revolving fund has changed lives. Through microloans and training, the program has helped women achieve economic independence. Today, I am happy to announce that Taiwan will inject another 500,000 US dollars into the fund. The investment will extend the outreach of the program. Once again, this demonstrates that Taiwan and Eswatini are committed to economic empowerment and sustainable development.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Deputy Prime Minister Dladla for inviting Taiwan to join Eswatini in promoting women's empowerment. Our partnership allows Taiwan to contribute to Eswatini. I would also extend my gratitude to Minister Khumalo. Thanks to the support of your ministry, the revolving fund team has been able to help more women achieve their dreams.

Indeed, I would like to express my appreciation to the government of Eswatini for its vision and leadership in promoting women's empowerment. I also want to thank Project Manager Peng and his team. Your hard work has made the revolving fund a success. Most importantly, I want to commend the beneficiaries of the fund. Your courage, perseverance, and dedication are an inspiration to us all.

The partnership between Taiwan and Eswatini is based on trust, cooperation, and mutual prosperity. We support each other like family. Taiwan will continue to work with Eswatini to promote economic empowerment, social inclusion, and national development.

Thank you.