Since its inaugural ceremony and the first conference held on June 30th, 1978 in South Africa, the Amity Conference of Overseas Compatriots in Africa has had a remarkable history of nearly 40 years. The conference has been a significant step in a process that always pays dividends for all our overseas compatriots in Africa. About 130 people from 10 African nations joined the conference.
With less than 10,000 people, the scale of the African overseas compatriot community is the smallest one in 6 continents. These compatriots are scattered throughout the vast African continent. Being tied up in their own business in general, these compatriots have quite few opportunities to gather, communicate and exchange their experiences and expertise with each other. The biannual conference serves them as an excellent opportunity to do so. It has played a significant role in promoting the unity, the prosperity and the development of our overseas compatriot community in Taiwan, and made them the strong support for Taiwan (R.O.C.).
The latest Amity Conference of Overseas Compatriots in Africa was the 22nd conference held on August 20th, 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the first time that the Amity Conference of Overseas Compatriots in Africa had gone virtually. About 130 attendees participated in the grand event.
Ms. Tsung Mei Sun, Council Member of OCAC, hosted the conference as the organizer. Amb. Tung, Chen-Yuan, Minister of OCAC, joined Ms. Wendy Yu-Hsia Wen, legislator of Legislative Yuan, Mr. Wang Feng Yu, the National Policy Advisor in delivering opening remarks. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA (Ministry of Economic Affairs), Taiwan External Trade Development Council all attended the event in the Taipei venue. In addition, Jeremy H. S. Liang , the Representative of Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the Kingdom of Eswatini, Anthony C.Y. Ho, the Representative of Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa, Andy Yih-Ping Liu, the Representative of Taipei Trade Office in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Allen Chen hwa Lou, the Representative of Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland, Mr. Yin-Tso Lin, the Director General of Taipei Liaison Office in Cape Town, South Africa all online attended the conference. To honor the conference, President Ing-wen Tsai also sent a video message.
The 22nd Amity Conference of Overseas Compatriots in Africa