PHL Mission to the UN Hands Over Chairmanship of ASEAN Committee in Geneva to Singapore 

Left photo: Ambassador Evan P. Garcia (center), accompanied by Mr. Arnel Sanchez (left), Charge d’Affaires of the Philippine Mission to the WTO, during the ceremonial handover ceremony of the chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee in Geneva to Ambassador Kok Jwee Foo of Singapore on 26 December. Right photo: The Permanent Representatives and officers-in-charge of the ASEAN Missions in Geneva

28 December 2017 GENEVA — Capping an anniversary year that saw the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) further enhance its engagement with the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva, the Permanent Mission of the Philippines handed over the chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee in Geneva (ACG) to Singapore during a meeting held at the WTO on December 26.

“The Philippines is privileged to have chaired the ACG at an auspicious occasion when ASEAN was also celebrating the 50thanniversary of its founding,” said Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, Permanent Representative of the Philippines in Geneva.

The Philippines handed over the chairmanship to Singapore after a year of activities that helped raise awareness about the region and draw attention to ASEAN’s accomplishments and contributions to the international community. In September, H.E. Le Luong Minh, ASEAN Secretary-General, made an official visit to Geneva and delivered statements at the UN, Human Rights Council, UNCTAD, and the Geneva Center for Security Policy. He also opened the ASEAN@50 Exhibit at the UN, a two-week exhibit that showcased award-winning photographs featuring the region’s history, society, and natural environment.

The Philippine Mission launched its chairmanship in March with an ASEAN Film Festival, followed by a side event on non-communicable diseases during the World Health Assembly in May. In October, ASEAN launched its video on Decent Work at the International Labour Organization. ASEAN also intensified its presence on social media and was featured in several publications such as the UN Special Magazine and the WIPO Publication.

During the meeting, Amb. Garcia additionally highlighted the outcomes of the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, held in Manila on November 13 to 14 with the theme, “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World.” Among other accomplishments, ASEAN adopted the Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers and various other declarations on combating cybercrime, promoting innovation, building regional capacity on disaster health management, addressing climate change, and countering and eradicating violent extremism and radicalization.

ASEAN had earlier announced the start of negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and subsequently adopted a declaration for a Decade of Coastal and Marine Environmental Protection. END

For more information, visit www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/genevapcg.