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As RP’s top diplomat, Romulo joins world leaders at UN to fight poverty
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NEW YORK, September 22, 2004 --- Making his debut as the Philippines’ top diplomat, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo told a world summit on poverty alleviation at the United Nations in New York that easing poverty across the world would help win the US-led global war on terrorism.
“Three years ago, not far from here, we witnessed the viciousness and savagery when the misguided few feed upon the discontent of the many, including the poor and the marginalized,” Romulo said, referring to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. “For the war against terror is only half won without winning the war against poverty.”
Romulo underlined the importance of international cooperation in easing poverty across the world, noting that nations agreed in a 2000 summit to reduce poverty by half by 2015.
“Regional cooperation, in particular, has a critical function in assisting and complementing national agendas by providing a favorable external environment. It also serves to bridge the gap between the national and international levels in the implementation of initiatives on financing for development,” Romulo said.
“Regional cooperation could greatly contribute to strengthening global governance through sharing of best practices among countries. Therefore, it should not be contradictory, but rather complementary to the existing global cooperative framework.”
Alleviating poverty “is too daunting a task to be just left to government,” Romulo added. “It needs an integrated and holistic approach of all stakeholders to harmonize their activities at national and state levels for all the peoples of the world.”
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has congratulated Romulo on his recent assumption as Manila’s top diplomat, saying he looks forward to working with him in further strengthening the partnership between the Philippines and the world body.
“As both a founding member of the United Nations and a Non-Permanent Member of the Security Council since Jan. 1, 2004, the Philippines has consistently played an active and constructive role in the Organization’s efforts to realize the noble principles and objectives enshrined in the Charter,” Annan said in his letter of congratulations delivered to Romulo on Sept. 20 by Ambassador Lauro L. Baja, Jr., permanent representative of the Philippines to the United Nations.
“I am confident that, under your leadership, the partnership that has been built over the years between the Republic of the Philippines and the United Nations will continue to be strengthened as we strive to fulfill the expectations of Member-States and their nationals for peace, progress and stability,” the Secretary General said.
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