04 December 2013 - The Philippines will chair the Asia-Pacific (ASPAC) Group in UNESCO starting January 2014. 

During the plenary meeting of the Group held on November 29, the chairmanship was transferred by Iran’s Permanent Delegate, Ambassador Mohammad Reza Majidi to Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Cristina G. Ortega.  The Philippines will be responsible for chairing and coordinating the actions of the Group as they relate to UNESCO for all of next year.

The ASPAC Bureau will also be composed of China as Vice Chair and a Secretary/ Treasurer who will come from the South Asia sub-regional group.

UNESCO electoral Group IV or ASPAC is comprised of 44 Member States coming from the region.  The other electoral groups are Group I (Western Europe, USA, Canada and Israel), Group II (Eastern Europe), Group III (GRULAC), Group Va (Africa), and Group Vb (Arab States). END