PH Joins Forces with the UN to Fight Terrorism

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique A. Manalo (second from right) confers with UnderSecretary-General Vladimir Voronkov (second from left) of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in efforts to contribute to the fight against terroris. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. (leftmost) and Assistant Secretary-General Michèle Coninsx (rightmost) of the UN Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED). (New York PM photo)

NEW YORK 11 October 2018 — In its efforts to fight terrorism, the Philippines continued its collaboration with the United Nations at a meeting between Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique A. Manalo with UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Undersecretary-General Vladimir Voronkov of the held on the sidelines of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on 26 September 2018.

At the said meeting, Undersecretary Manalo and Undersecretary-General Voronkov spoke about capacity building in relation to threats to commercial aviation, nuclear terrorism, cybercrime, terrorist financing and support for victims of terrorism.

Undersecretary-General Voronkov said that there is much to do after the adoption last June of the new UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (UNGCTS). He said that high in the agenda of Secretary General Antonio Guterres is the importance of sharing information, addressing the threat of foreign terrorist fighters, and engaging the youth and preventing misuse of the internet.

Undersecretary Manalo cited the participation in June this year of National Security Adviser Secretary Hermogenes C. Esperon, Jr. at the UN High Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies in New York to demonstrate Philippine support for the global counter-terrorism strategy.

He also highlighted the importance the Philippines attaches to the preventive aspect of the strategy and not just the traditional approach. He also mentioned the draft plan of the Philippines and the importance of incorporating preventive efforts in education.

Assistant Secretary-General Coninsx told Undersecretary Manalo that CTED is ready to visit the Philippines to share good practices, and collaborate on courses of action that can be pursued after such visit.

Aside from stressing the importance of preventing the flow of terrorists, the UN Undersecretary-General said that there is a need to give assistance to victims of terrorism. Undersecretary Manalo noted Marawi as an example where the Philippines had a major successful operation and emphasized that the Philippine government is exerting every effort to return displaced victims to where they were and to restore their livelihood.

Undersecretary Manalo also agreed with Undersecretary-General Voronkov on the need to bolster regional efforts and noted that for ASEAN, counter-terrorism is one of the most important concerns.

Undersecretary-General Voronkov was accompanied by United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) Assistant Secretary-General Michèle Coninsx.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary Manalo was accompanied at the meeting by Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Ambassador Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., and Senior Special Assistant Roy B. Ecraela of the Department of Foreign Affairs Office of Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns. END

For more information, visit www.newyorkpm.dfa.gov.ph/ www.un.int/philippines or https://www.facebook.com/PHMissionNY/

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique A. Manalo tells Undersecretary-General Vladimir Voronkov of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism that the Philippine government is exerting every effort to return displaced victims of the Marawi siege to where they were and to restore their livelihood. Also at the meeting are Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. (extreme right) and Senior Special Assistant Roy B. Ecraela of the Office of Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Accompanying Undersecretary-General Voronkov is Assistant Secretary-General Michèle Coninsx of the UN Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate. (New York PCG photo)