Philippines, UN sign 5-year cooperation framework

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and the United Nations signed on Tuesday a new five-year cooperation framework, which will help address major development challenges besetting the country.

President Marcos witnessed the signing of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2024-2028 between Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and UN Resident Coordinator Gustavo González at Malacañang.

“We look forward to vigorous engagements and key issues that bear on the future of our communities including food security, health, education, climate action, decent work, digital transformation and disaster risk reduction,” the President said in his remarks.

“We invite new approaches to help promote innovation driven by climate smart and sustainable growth at all levels. We also are fostering access to green financing, lasting peace, and better public services across the archipelago.”

The UNSDCF is a core instrument for providing a coherent, strategic direction for UN development activities by all UN entities at country level. The current UNSDCF for the Philippines is ending this year.

The UNSDCF 2024-2028 will be a collaborative strategic planning framework for cooperation between the Philippines and the UN Development System in support of the national development priorities and the accomplishment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Human capital development, sustainable economic development, climate action and environmental sustainability are the strategic priorities of the UNSDCF 2024-2028.

Marcos said the new framework supports and coincides with the timeline of his administration’s policies and priorities embodied in the 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda, the Philippine Development Plan and AmBisyon Natin.

It enjoins UN agencies in the government’s determined pursuit of “the highest aspirations of our people,” he said.

“As the UNSDCF is among the first of its kind under the reformed UN development system, our collaboration will showcase the best and finest the UN development system can offer the world with programs that provide solutions and have far-reaching impact, and provide good models of co-ownership, transparency and accountability,” Marcos said.

He said the new framework also acknowledges how the Philippines’ best practices and experience, established over decades, can help the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda elsewhere through South-South Cooperation platforms.

The President also hailed the UN for recognizing peace building milestones in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which offers valuable contribution for peacemaking efforts across the world.

“As a founding member of the United Nations, the Philippines strongly supports the UN as a beacon for multilateral approaches for making lasting peace and progress a reality for all peoples, for all nations,” he said.

He also affirmed the country’s continuing advocacy for the rule of law and peaceful resolution of disputes.

“Our advocacies in the Indo-Pacific and in the global arena for the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes also provide opportunities for a more substantive engagement with the United Nations,” the President added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of the United Nations and International Organizations said this was the first time that the Philippine President witnessed the signing of a cooperation framework with the UN, signaling the highest commitment to working with the world body for sustainable development in the country and the world.