Opening Remarks of HON. ENRIQUE A. MANALO
Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines
Ministerial Roundtable on Migration, Environment and
Climate Change in the Asia Pacific Region
At the Sidelines of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly
21 September 2023 (Monday), 8:30 – 10:00 AM
New York City
Excellencies,
Secretary Yulo Loyzaga,
Mr. Director-General,
Distinguished guests,
Colleagues,
Good morning to you all.
Thank you for joining us at this high-level ministerial roundtable on the impacts of climate change and the environment on migration. It is an honor for the Philippines to organize this important conversation of great importance to the Asia Pacific Region, together with the International Organisation for Migration, in particular the IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and IOM Philippines.
The Philippines’ interest in convening this timely discussion arises from our long-standing role as champion of the rights of migrants, a supporter of safe and orderly migration, and leading voice for more decisive global action on climate change.
When the Philippines speak about these matters, we do so from the point of experience, and also from a point of vulnerability, and always with conviction in the power of dialogue and collaboration to address shared challenges arising from the convergence of risks arising from the compounding impact of global warming, environmental degradation and migration.
But more importantly these issues are about people: their well-being, their dignity and their future. Our conversation this morning on the nexus of the three is right in step with the theme of the SDG Summit last Monday about resilience and leaving no one behind, as well as the overall theme of this assembly.
With this roundtable, we hope we can generate the wealth of perspectives from our region, the Asia-Pacific, and contribute to building consensus to forge effective common action in the region and globally.
At this time last year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. underlined that, “Climate change is the greatest threat affecting our nations and our peoples. There is no other problem so global in nature that it requires a united effort, one led by the United Nations.”
And at the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta two weeks ago, President Marcos Jr. reminded fellow leaders that climate change is “a looming reminder of the injustice of disproportionate impact on our people” and called again on developed countries to fulfill their commitments under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement on financing, technology transfer, and capacity-building to support adaptation and mitigation in countries most affected.
This interconnection has long been clear to the Philippines. As early as 2009, the Philippines led a core group of countries that first sought to establish the links between climate change and human rights in the Human Rights Council. This is now an established initiative that we pursue with Bangladesh and Vietnam in the Human Rights Council.
The 2018 Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration stressed the interlinkages we are examining today. Its preamble properly recognizes the intersection of this instrument with international conventions such as the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). In its Objective 2 to minimize the drivers of migration, it acknowledges the “need to invest in programs accelerating the States’ fulfilment of the SDG goals with the aim of eliminating the adverse drivers and structural factors that compel people to leave their country of origin”. A full section that follows on natural disasters, climate change and environmental degradation. Relatedly, the Compact calls on States to “cooperate to identify, develop, and strengthen solutions for migrants compelled to leave their countries of origin owing to the slow-onset disasters, the adverse effects of climate change, and environmental degradation.” This document offers concrete solutions including resilience strategies, more seamless coordination among UN instruments and platforms, and relocation and visa options, in cases where adaptation by migrants in or return to their country of origin is not possible.
The road leading to the recognition of these converging realities as well as achieving consensus on our shared mandate for effective, comprehensive and coherent action has been long and arduous and the need for such action is more compelling than ever, in our region, as with the world. Hence, the urgency of today’s discussion.
Excellencies, we sincerely thank you all for accepting the invitation to share your views and help support the consideration of perspectives and solutions in the Asia-Pacific context. We have invited Mr. Edgar Corzo Sosa, Chair of the UN Committee of Migrant Workers and Dr. Radley M. Horton of the Climate School of Columbia University to share their expertise and enrich our conversation.
The Philippines hope that this roundtable will help in shaping a common regional understanding and approach on the interface of climate, the environment and mobility interface – and exploring platforms for further constructive dialogue and cooperation.
As we seek to build positive momentum for COP28, it is also our hope that this roundtable can be a catalyst for initiatives addressing and mitigating the impacts of climate change on mobility in the Asia Pacific. I wish to note that other regions and groupings such as in Africa and the SIDs have formulated programs that relate to some of the aspects that we will discuss today.
Based on our discussions, the Philippines and the IOM will prepare a summary document that we hope can feed into the COP 28 and future work on this topic.
Thank you once again and I hope for a fruitful and productive roundtable.