NEW YORK, USA — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres held a meeting on Tuesday, September 20 (New York time), where they reaffirmed the cooperation between the Philippines and the UN and other relevant global issues.
The UN confirmed this in a statement posted on its website after the first day of the ongoing High-Level General Debate of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
During their meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the UNGA 77, Marcos and Guterres discussed areas of United Nations cooperation and support.
They also exchanged views on the international situation and climate action initiatives.
The meeting between the two leaders developed after Marcos spoke at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
In his speech, President Marcos echoed the foreign policy of the previous Duterte administration that the Philippines is a friend to all.
He likewise campaigned for the Philippines' quest to become a member of the UN Security Council, a position the country has not held since 2005.
Marcos expressed confidence about the Philippines achieving upper-middle-income status next year and being "moderately prosperous" in 2040.
In his call for unity, the President called for the peaceful resolution of disputes and an end to racism and Asian hate.
Meanwhile, Marcos lamented the inaction of highly industrialized countries on climate change issues, saying its effects are uneven and the "least responsible" ones suffer the most. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)