Taipei: Taiwan on Friday donated US$100,000 to the Argentine city of Baha Blanca to support the flood relief efforts there. The donation was made at Taiwan's representative office in Argentina during a ceremony attended by Rosana Vecchi, an official with the city's urban planning agency, as well as various local lawmakers and Taiwanese expatriates.
According to Focus Taiwan, Florencia Miao-hung Hsie, Taiwan's top envoy to Argentina, mentioned that the donation was an emergency aid to Baha Blanca, a city in Buenos Aires Province. Hsie expressed hope that the funds would be utilized immediately to assist the city with its reconstruction efforts and encouraged more people to support the cause.
Rosana Vecchi highlighted that Baha Blanca has faced multiple natural disasters in recent years, including fierce winds and hailstorms. The recent flash floods have further exposed the shortcomings in the city's urban planning and construction rules, such as the damage to power facilities revealing deficiencies in basic infrastructure.
Despite these challenges, Vecchi noted that Baha Blanca residents have shown resilience and solidarity. With support from both domestic and international communities, people have joined forces to aid in the reconstruction efforts, and they especially appreciate Taiwan's assistance, she said.
In addition, Argentine lawmaker Marcela Campagnoli expressed gratitude to Taiwan for its donation and praised the country for its ongoing support to Argentina, particularly in the fields of social welfare.
