Estonia and Taiwan recognise shared commitment to rebuilding Ukraine

The MoU, signed by Andrea Kivi, the executive director of the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), and Dr Yu-Lin Huang, the secretary general of Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), comes on the tail of a successful collaboration in Ukraine, building a family-style small group home for a displaced foster family .  

“Estonia and Taiwan share a strong commitment to supporting Ukraine’s recovery and long-term resilience. Today’s agreement marks an important step in strengthening our partnership and expanding our joint efforts to respond to Ukraine’s priorities and evolving needs,” said Andrea Kivi, ESTDEV’s executive director. 

“Estonia’s achievements in digital governance and technological innovation have earned global recognition. Taiwan has followed these developments with admiration and benefited from valuable exchanges between our two sides. These shared strengths provide a strong foundation for deeper cooperation and highlight the significance of the partnership we celebrate today,” said Huang. “By combining Estonia’s expertise in digital innovation and governance with Taiwan’s experience in development cooperation and capacity building, we can expand collaboration in digital development, education, public health, entrepreneurship, and institutional strengthening.” 

In 2024, ESTDEV signed a 1.1 million euros partnership agreement with the Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia to receive funding for the construction of one fully furnished, seven-bed, four-bath house with a bomb shelter, and to cover the costs of public tenders and project management. It was the fifth such home delivered by Estonia in Ukraine’s Zhytomyr Region for large foster families who had lost their homes in the frontline regions. 

“The TaiwanICDF has a long-standing history of executing government foreign aid projects across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, covering sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, women's empowerment, Mandarin language teaching, green energy, and digital transformation,” said Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia Representative Winston Chen. “TaiwanICDF and ESTDEV are ideal partners, and we are delighted to see Taiwan and Estonia turn a new page of cooperation built on this solid foundation. Furthermore, Taiwan and ESTDEV are currently discussing a joint medical assistance project for Ukraine, which aims to foster trilateral cooperation in commerce, healthcare, and reconstruction.” 

Estonia remains dedicated to working with like-minded nations to ensure continued support for Ukraine. The MoU paves the way for Estonia and Taiwan to work together on developing additional projects, as the agreement is valid for the next three years. It encompasses numerous possibilities for future collaboration, including co-funding international development and cooperation projects in Ukraine and sharing experience and knowledge through workshops and bilateral study visits.