PH Highlights Building Resilience as a Cornerstone of PH Dev’t Agenda in ECOSOC Meeting

Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva Ambassador Evan P. Garcia (right) delivers the Philippine Statement during the General Debate of the UN Economic and Social Council Humanitarian Affairs Segment (ECOSOC HAS) on 25 June 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland. (Geneva PM photo)

GENEVA 01 July 2019 — The Philippines highlighted that building resilience has become a cornerstone of the country’s development agenda at this year’s Economic and Social Council’s Humanitarian Affairs Segment (ECOSOC HAS) being held in Geneva, Switzerland on 25 June 2019.

“We shifted to prevention and adaptation; and have thrown everything into disaster risk reduction to put up a better fight when nature turns its wrath on us. Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation are mainstreamed into local and national development plans,” said Philippine Permament Representative to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva Ambassador Evan P. Garcia at the General Debate of ECOSOC HAS in the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The Philippines also recognized the vital role of humanitarian ogranizations in raising awareness on disaster risk reduction management, including strengthening the resilience of communities.

With the theme “Promoting Action to Save Lives, Reach Those in Need and Reduce Humanitarian Risk, Vulnerability and Need: Looking Towards the Seventieth Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and the Climate Summit Called for by the Secretary-General”, the ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment (HAS) this year aims to strengthen preparedness and humanitarian response to address the escalating risks and challenges of disasters and other humanitarian emergencies.

Since 1998, the ECOSOC HAS has been an essential platform for discussing the activities and issues related to strengthening the coordination of UN’s humanitarian assistance.

The HAS provides a key opportunity for Member States, the UN system, development actors, the private sector and other humanitarian partners to discuss emerging and pressing humanitarian issues.  It also promotes the sharing of experiences and lessons learned at the national and regional level. The ECOSOC HAS this year is held in Geneva from 24 to 26 June 2019. END

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