Duterte to address UN General Assembly for first time

September 21, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to address the United Nations General Assembly for the first time on Tuesday, September 22, an official said on Monday.

Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Chief of President Protocol Robert Borje, in a televised press briefing, said Duterte's participation at the High-Level General Debate with take place at the 75th Session of the UNGA to be held virtually.

"President Duterte will articulate Philippine positions on a wide range of issues of key importance to the country, such as the global response to the coronavirus pandemic; peace and security, including terrorism and geopolitical developments in the Asia Pacific," he said.

When asked if Duterte would delve on the issue between the United States and China in relation to the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Borje said that is part of the geopolitical developments in Asia Pacific that the President will also discuss.

Duterte is also expected to focus on sustainable development and climate change; the rule of law; justice and human security, including the situation of migrant workers and refugees; peacekeeping and UN reforms.

Duterte will be one among the first set of speakers on the first day of the High-Level General Debate, which will take place on September 22 to 29.

"The time block is 9:00 o’clock in the morning to 2:45 in the afternoon New York time. He is inscribed as the 12th speaker of 14th speakers for the morning session. The first speaker will be Brazil, followed by the United States, followed by the Turkey and then China and then Chile and then South Africa, followed by Cuba, the Russian Federation and then Jordan, the Republic of Korea, Qatar then Philippines followed by Iran and then France," Borje said.

According to Borje, the session's theme is "The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism - confronting COVID-19 through effective multilateral action."

Volkan Bozkir, president of the 75th UNGA, will preside over the High-Level General Debate. Celerina Monte/DMS