Philippine Statement on

"Strengthening South-South Cooperation to Promote World Peace and Prosperity"

On the 10th Anniversary of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership and

The Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Bandung Conference 18-24 April 2015, Bandung and Jakarta, IndonesiaExcellencies, Fellow delegates,

Ladies and gentlemen...The Philippines unites joins other nations present in paying tribute to Indonesia for its visionary initiation of the Bandung Conference six decades ago which gave articulation to the aspirations of the Global South, and the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership which celebrates its first decade this year. The Philippines, stands ready to contribute to Strengthening South-South Cooperation to Promote World Peace and Prosperity, indeed a timely and well-chosen theme for the Conference. As the world faces challenges to world peace and prosperity through the evils of Poverty, ignorance, marginalization, vulnerability, exploitation, injustice it is necessary to rally and lead the great nations of Asia and Africa in the very spirit of Bandung which remains as as relevant and necessarily as it was forged sixty years ago.This conference offers a chance to synergize our common economic and development interests. There is a need to recognize that through closer and more aggressive cooperation, inclusive growth will yield greater rewards for everyone. We in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are integrating our economies, and and as a stronger region we wish to engage more dynamically with the rest of Asia and Africa. Our two continents, through our membership in the Non-Aligned Movement and Group of 77, need to chart a common course in the coming global debates on the Post-2015 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Change Confrence, among others.Excellencies, the Philippines draws much inspiration from our strategic partnership, due to the powerful summon of its underpinnings. This observance of the 60th anniversary of Asia-Africa Cooperation celebrates the Ten Bandung Principles, which mirror the very pillars of Philippine foreign policy. Paramount among these are: (1) respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations; (2) respect for the right of each nation to defend itself, singly or collectively, in conformity with the United Nations charter; (3) refraining from acts or threats of aggression or the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country; and (4) settlement of all international disputes by peaceful means, such as negotiation, conciliation, arbitration or judicial settlement as well as other peaceful means of the parties own choice, in conformity with the United Nations charter. These precepts are of further relevance to us today as they frame the issues at stake in the present situation in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea. The Philippines stand to defend its legitimate rights is evidently firmly anchored, not on invented or imagined norms but on tenets enshrined in decades-old international codes because of their self-evident truths.

Excellencies, the Philippines is steadfast in upholding the rule of law because it forms the bedrock of peace, order and fairness that are not only vital to growth and progress but also to every nations survival. As we re-live and celebrate the unity rallied three score years ago in these very grounds, let the Spirit of Bandung continue to be our beacon as our two great continents forge ahead in strategic partnership.

Thank you.