[Published in South Bulletin 57]

On August 2011, the South Centre Board held its 27th meeting in Cebu, the Philippines, at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. 

The highlight of the Board’s visit was a meeting with the President of the Philippines, Mr. Benigno S. Aquino III, Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. on 1 August 2011 at Malacañang Palace, Manila.

The South Centre’s Chairman, Mr. Benjamin Mkapa, thanked the President for the warm welcome and the cooperation of the Philippines with the Centre.

President Benigno S. Aquino III assured the South Centre Chairman and the Board Members that the Philippines would strongly support South-South Cooperation and the South Centre.

Another highlight was a joint conference held in Manila. At the meeting,  Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario said that the voice of the Global South is still largely unheard and unheeded in global economic decision-making. He said:

“If the Global South is to have any chance of influencing the global economic dialogue, we must stick together. We must preserve our ranks in the face of any attempt to divide developing nations and to undermine our collective interests.”

“Above all, we must maintain the solidarity of the South on certain key principles in our struggle to secure a just and equitable international system.”

South Centre Chairman Mr. Mkapa said:

“The most important prerequisite for us as developing countries to be able to effect real changes in the global rules and relations that govern us is for us to work with each other – to really put South-South cooperation at all levels, on all issues, and in all forums, into practice.”

Highlights of the Board’s visit to the Philippines:

· Meeting of the Board with the President, Foreign Secretary and Executive Secretary on 1 August 2011 at Malacañang Palace, Manila.

· Also on 1 August 2011, the Chairman and the Board met with:

1)  Director General Lilia De Lima and her staff of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

2)  Deputy Director General Rolando Tungpalan and his staff of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

3)  University of the Philippines President Alfredo Pascual.

· On 2 August 2011, the Manila Conference on Global Economic and Development Issues was jointly organized by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Foreign Service Institute, and the South Centre. It was held at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City, Philippines, and was attended by around a hundred participants.

· Meeting with Hon. Governor Gwendolyn Garcia of the Province of Cebu and the members of the Provincial Government of Cebu on 3 August 2011 and banquet hosted by the Governor on 4 August 2011.

· The holding of the 27th Board meeting on 3-5 August 2011 on Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines.

· Visit to the 2011 One Cebu Expo by the Chairman and members of the Board and the Secretariat.