PH Endorses Declaration on Shared Commitments on UN Peacekeeping
The Philippine delegation, led by Ambassador Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., together with National Defense Assistant Secretary Teodoro Cirilo Torralba and Armed Forces of the Philippines Deputy Chief of Staff Vice-Admiral Gaudencio Collado Jr., endorses the Declaration of Shared Commitments on UN Peacekeeping Operations at the High-Level Event on Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) during the 73rd UNGA in New York City. (New York PCG photo)
NEW YORK 09 October 2018 — The Philippines, along with 145 member states, endorsed the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations at the High-Level Event on Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) on 25 September 2018 during the 73rd Session of UN General Assembly in New York.
Manila also renewed its commitment to support peacekeeping operations, recognizing its important role in sustaining peace.
“Through the A4P initiative, the Philippines stands in solidarity with the community of responsible nations and remains steadfastly committed to contribute to UN (UN) Peacekeeping Operations, cognizant of their strategic contributions to sustaining peace,” Ambassador Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN in New York said in a statement.
National Defense Assistant Secretary Teodoro Cirilo Torralba and Armed Forces of the Philippines Deputy Chief of Staff Vice-Admiral Gaudencio Collado Jr. joined Ambassador Locsin in the Philippine delegation to the high-level event.
The Declaration of Shared Commitments on UN Peacekeeping Operations commits Member States to advance political solutions to conflict and enhance the political impact of peacekeeping; strengthen the protection provided by peacekeeping operations; improve the safety and security of peacekeepers; support effective performance and accountability by all peacekeeping components; strengthen the peacebuilding impact of peacekeeping; improve peacekeeping partnerships; and strengthen the conduct of peacekeeping operations and personnel.
An initiative of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and launched at the Security Council Open Debate on Peacekeeping Operations last 28 March, the A4P is a call for strong, collective and strategic-level commitments to address the political and operational challenges facing United Nations peacekeeping today.
In his remarks at the meeting, Secretary-General Guterres said that the A4P “aims to bridge that gap in three ways: by refocusing peacekeeping with more realistic expectations; by making our missions stronger and safer; and by mobilizing greater political support for solutions and for well-equipped, well-trained forces.”
The high level served as an opportunity to highlight the achievements that UN Peacekeeping has made as a peace and security tool and to reaffirm the Member States’ commitments to address pressing challenges in UN peacekeeping operations.
“With over 50 years of peacekeeping operations, the Philippines has never faltered in its commitment to answering UN calls for peace and for investment in peace – even as the calls have evolved in a changing world,” Ambassador Locsin said.
Over 90 Member States delivered and submitted their respective national interventions expressing support for the A4P initiative within the context of the UN Secretary-General’s peacebuilding and sustaining peace agenda. END
For more information, visit www.newyorkpm.dfa.gov.ph/ www.un.int/philippines or https://www.facebook.com/PHMissionNY/