BAKU, 07 July 2023 – The Philippine Embassy in Ankara joined officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), led by Undersecretary Carlos D. Sorreta, during the Senior Officials Meeting and Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) from 03 to 06 July 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

DFA Undersecretary Carlos D. Sorreta (far left) and other delegates during the Senior Officials Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (Embassy photo)

At the NAM Ministerial Meeting, the Philippines urged Member States to unite and address key challenges affecting the world and regional developments.

Undersecretary Sorreta delivering a statement during the SOM (Embassy photo)

The Head of the Philippine Delegation, Undersecretary Sorreta, emphasized that NAM should not be divided by external powers and remain true to the Movement’s founding principles: self-determination, non-interference, sovereign equality and independence, and true non-alignment. 

Leading up to the meeting, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) proposed factual updates to four paragraphs in the NAM Ministerial Outcome Document on the South China Sea. Despite ASEAN’s efforts, led by current ASEAN Chair Indonesia, several NAM countries opposed updates to the paragraphs on the South China Sea since they claimed the matter “was contentious.” 

ASEAN registered  “deep disappointment” over negotiations that were “damaging to the Movement’s credibility.” ASEAN and India expressed concern that a powerful non-member state was working behind the scenes to ensure the paragraphs would not be changed.

At the opening session of the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (Embassy photo)

As the Philippines dissociated from the said paragraphs, Undersecretary Sorreta stressed that, “NAM has never shied away from dealing with difficult issues…and has always been a progressive platform for developing countries to chart their own sovereign course, unimpeded by the interests of external powers…it must remain so."

Undersecretary Sorreta delivering the Philippine statement during the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement as Minister Noel M. Novicio from the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York (left) and DFA-UNIO Deputy Assistant Secretary Jesus G. Enrique Garcia II (center) look on (DFA-UNIO photo)

Undersecretary Sorreta also highlighted that despite potential conflicts, ASEAN worked to preserve peace and promote economic growth and “must be doing something right.” 

The Philippines urged the NAM to uphold the interests of developing countries on key issues such as climate change, access and responsible use of new technologies like AI, and overcoming inequality, underdevelopment, and racism.

Undersecretary Sorreta stated that NAM must be at the forefront of promoting peace and security and peaceful settlement of disputes. He requested NAM’s support for the Philippines' candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the term 2027–2028.

The NAM is the largest political grouping in the United Nations (UN), consisting of 120 mainly developing countries. Azerbaijan has served as its Chair from 2019 to 2023.  Uganda is set to take over as NAM Chair next year.##