21 June 2004, United Nations, New York - Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert today assured Secretary General Kofi Annan that the United Nations can look forward to the continued support and participation of the Philippines in the efforts to rebuild Iraq even after the handover of sovereignty to the new Interim Iraqi Government at the end of the month.  For his part, Secretary General Annan expressed the UN’s appreciation for the significant contributions that the Philippines has made to Iraq, not only in the UN Security Council but also on the ground in Iraq.

Secretary Albert made the assurance during a courtesy call on the Secretary General at his 38th Floor Offices at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Secretary was accompanied by Ambassador Lauro L. Baja Jr., Permanent Representative and President of the Security Council and other members of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations.

During  their 30-minute meeting,  Secretary Albert  informed  Secretary General Annan  about the decision of  President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to retain the 51-member Philippine humanitarian contingent in Iraq as well as other initiatives undertaken by Manila in support of the reconstruction process. The Secretary General also inquired if the Philippines will be increasing its presence in Iraq.

“We shall stay in Iraq as far as our humanitarian presence is required,” Secretary Albert quoted President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as having stated following her decision to retain the Philippine contingent.
 
The Secretary also informed the Secretary General that only recently Baghdad sent a number of police officers to Manila for training. It also sent Iraqi Minister Nasreen Berwari to discuss various projects that could be undertaken in the country, including training programs on local governance for women, small and medium industries and micro-finance.

She said the Philippines is also strongly looking into the possibility of undertaking these training projects on trilateral arrangements with funding to be provided by third countries.

The Secretary General, for his part, expressed appreciation for the Philippine initiatives and expressed hopes that the security situation in Iraq would improve to allow the United Nations to get itself more involved in the process.
 
Secretary Albert will only be the second Filipino foreign secretary to preside over an open meeting of the Security Council. The late Secretary Carlos P. Romulo had the rare distinction of having presided over open meetings of the Security Council during the membership of the Philippines in the 1950s and 1980s. END.