06 February 2015 - The Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA’s) Office of the United Nations and other International Organizations (UNIO), in coordination with the Philippine Mission to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, hosted “The Philippines and the Group 77 (G77) and China: Opportunities for 2015 and Beyond,” which was a preparatory meeting intended to generate specific initiatives that would help the Philippines steer the largest bloc of developing countries in the UN towards a meaningful and accelerated accomplishment of the global development agenda.
The Philippines assumed chairmanship of the G77 and China-Geneva Chapter on January 28. The Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Cecilia Rebong, will chair the body during the country’s term, guided by the vision of the G77 and China as a fortified platform for negotiations. The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) rendered support to the event.
DFA Undersecretary for Policy Evan Garcia highlighted in his keynote address that the Philippine chairmanship occurs at a decisive point in international developmental efforts. In particular, the quadrennial assemblies, i.e. 3rd International Conference for Financing for Development in July 2015, on-going deliberations on Post-2015 Development Agenda in New York, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties 21 in December 2015, and the 14th UN Conference on Trade and Development in Lima, 2016 are expected to have momentous impact on the future course of global growth and progress. Thus, this period presents an extraordinary opportunity for the Philippines to lead the push for Third World imperatives, underscoring as key, the need for the “Global South” to come up with fresh approaches to challenges, particularly since the world has evolved considerably in the past half century, and with it, the metamorphoses of enduring afflictions of “poverty, ignorance, marginalization, vulnerability, exploitation, injustice.”
The hallmark multi-sector governmental approach to consultation was implemented, aiming to engender necessary buttress in the drive to achieve development goals, as well as to harmonize diverse and novel perspectives from partners in government, academe, international organizations and civil society into a coherent and integrated Philippine position and strategy in the G77 and the UN.
Representatives of Congress and Senate, Office of Civil Defence-National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and National Economic Development Authority were joined by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academe and Manila-based international organizations (IO), namely, the Disaster Risk Reduction Network of the Philippines, Plan International Inc., Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO), Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM); Asian Institute of Management (AIM), University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P); United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and United Nations Volunteers (UNV), respectively.
UNIO Assistant Secretary Jesus Domingo, Ambassador Rebong and Mr. Raphael Hermoso from the Philippine Permanent Mission in Geneva, Ms. Emily Fraser of UNITAR, Messrs. Miguel Bautista and Mussie Delelegn of UNCTAD, Ms. Mariama Williams of South Centre, Undersecretary Lesley Jean Cordero of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR), Director Marco Boasso of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Director Lawrence Jeff Johnson of the International Labour Organization (ILO) served as expert resource persons for the meeting. Congressman Walden Bello, House Committee Chair for Overseas Workers Affairs, graced the gathering.
A major outcome of the conference is concurrence on the need not only for the G77 and China to be more united and coherent as caucus, but also for positions to be harmonized down to the level of national delegations, if the grouping is to become a vital negotiating force in the international arena. It was also agreed that the Philippine chairmanship should set as priority agenda, the restoration of multilateral equilibrium, revival of a holistic and inclusive developmental approach, and pragmatism in addressing urgent realities. There was unanimous accord on the fundamental requirement for a positive agenda, particularly on systemic issues, resilience and migration, that member countries can rally behind. Likewise, the first principle that development is all about people and improving the human condition, should always be kept in mind. END