Distinguished co-chairs,

Thank you for convening this important debate on the Revitalization of the Work of the UN General Assembly. The Philippines supports your leadership in this important process.

We also align ourselves with the statement delivered by Algeria on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

The Philippines recalls the adoption of Resolution 77/335, which mandates Member States “to identify further ways to enhance the role, authority, effectiveness and efficiency of the Assembly.”

Indeed, today’s thematic debate on the role and authority of the General Assembly reaffirms the Assembly's strategic role in addressing global issues, especially as the United Nations continues to tackle multifaceted challenges and multiple crises in several fronts.

In this regard, the Philippines would like to emphasize the following two points:

• First, on the Role and Authority of the General Assembly, it is critically important that Member States continue to enhance the effectiveness, transparency and inclusiveness of the General Assembly as the chief deliberative, policy making, and most representative organ of the United Nations.

Resolution 77/335 recognizes the functions, powers and role of the General Assembly in matters related to the maintenance of international peace and security, consistent with the UN Charter, without any prejudice to the functions and powers of the Security Council as set out in Article 24 of the Charter.

Member States should therefore enhance the General Assembly's role as defined in the UN Charter, particularly in maintaining international peace and security, specifically Articles 10 to 14 and Article 35.

The General Assembly is the only universal organ of the UN System with a universal mandate. It should exercise its functions in a manner which enables it to take the lead on global issues and support other principal organs where necessary as envisioned in the UN Charter.

• Second, resolution 76/262 or the veto initiative empowers the President of the General Assembly to convene a formal meeting of the General Assembly within 10 working days of the casting of a veto by one or more permanent members of the Security Council, to hold a debate on the situation as to which the veto was cast, provided that the Assembly does not meet in an emergency special session on the same situation.

It would indeed be a challenge to remove the veto privileges of the permanent members of the Security Council. However, the General Assembly should continue to pursue every effort to curtail the exercise or use of the veto. The landmark veto initiative would somehow contribute to addressing the issue, and in the process enhance the accountability of the Security Council. More importantly, the veto initiative underscores the General Assembly’s determination to be involved on pressing international peace and security issues.

Indeed, in a mutually reinforcing manner, the veto initiative could strengthen the role of the General Assembly on matters related to international peace and security and allow Member States to be represented and to articulate their views, especially when the Security Council remains deadlocked on some of the most pressing issues on international peace and security.

Distinguished co-chairs,

With greater political will and stronger collaborative action of Member States, we hope to further revitalize the work of the General Assembly through concerted, ambitious, innovative and action-oriented efforts.

The revitalization of the General Assembly process should aim to transform multilateralism, making it more equitable and just, to bring to fruition the purposes of the UN Charter towards making peace, justice and sustainable development a reality for all our peoples. The Summit of the Future in September will be an important platform to reinvigorate the General Assembly as part of the bigger goal of transforming the United Nations for the benefit of present and future generations.

Thank you.