Duterte to UN, Asean: Enhance security cooperation
Credit to Author: THE MANILA TIMES| Date: Mon, 04 Nov 2019 03:24:05 +0000
President Rodrigo Duterte has urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the United Nations (UN) to enhance their cooperation in fighting security threats in the region.
Speaking at the 10th Asean-UN Summit on Sunday, the President said they must promote “counter-narratives” to address extremism and terrorism, citing the Philippines’ experience in Marawi City.
“The President likewise called on Asean and the UN to enhance cooperation in sustainable security. Both, according to PRRD (President Duterte), must promote counter-narratives to address the message of hate and destruction propagated by violent extremists and terrorists,” Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
In 2017, the Philippines dealt with Islamic State-inspired terrorists who attacked Marawi City.
The siege, which left over 1,000 dead and tens of thousands homeless, showed that the terror network sought to establish a stronghold in Southeast Asia following heavy losses in the Middle East.
Apart from fighting terror, Duterte also asked leaders of the 10-nation regional bloc and the UN to pursue preventive diplomacy, including the advancement of women in peace and security agenda, Panelo said.
The Philippines is a pioneer in this area and can share best practices, such as the establishment of the Asean Women’s Peace Registry, he added.
The President, according to Panelo, also encouraged the Asean and the UN to also work together to address climate change, a global challenge that has made countries like the Philippines more vulnerable to natural disasters. CATHERINE VALENTE