NEW YORK — Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro urged global leaders at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly to reshape international policymaking by placing human dignity, trust, and international law at the forefront of global governance.
Addressing world representatives during the UNGA General Debate under the theme “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All,” Lazaro emphasized that international treaties and reforms must directly benefit ordinary people, especially those facing armed conflicts, climate crises, systemic inequality, and rapid technological shifts.
“Behind every metric is a human story. Every policy, every treaty, and every institutional reform is ultimately about real human lives,” she said.
Highlighting the strain of over 50 active global conflicts, the top diplomat reiterated Manila’s call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages, full adherence to international humanitarian law, and a two-state solution to secure lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.
On environmental and economic issues, Lazaro pressed for climate justice, the swift execution of the Loss and Damage Fund, and a complete implementation of the Paris Agreement.
She advocated for reform in global economic metrics, noting that current systems fail to reflect the severe debt loads and structural vulnerabilities burdening middle-income nations.
Addressing technological advancements, she called for binding global governance on artificial intelligence to safeguard human rights while helping developing nations build the digital infrastructure required to bridge the digital divide.
Speaking earlier on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the Group of 77 and China Ministerial Meeting, Lazaro underscored the necessity of rules-based multilateralism.
She listed digital inclusion, sustainable food systems, climate finance, and funding for the Sustainable Development Goals as top joint priorities.
In her capacity representing the Philippines at the G77 meeting, she showcased Manila’s leadership in crafting the Strategic Plan of Action under the Makati Declaration—a framework designed to support middle-income economies that are excluded from concessional aid despite ongoing financial challenges.
Lazaro also tied global maritime safety directly to human security, pointing out that Filipinos make up more than a quarter of the world’s two million seafarers.
She reaffirmed the nation’s unwavering stance on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea—calling it the “constitution of the oceans”—and cited the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award as a prime model for resolving territorial disputes peacefully through legal channels.
To modernize the international body, Lazaro backed expanding developing nation representation in the UN Security Council and called for the historic election of the first female UN Secretary-General to lead the organization’s next era.