ASEAN EMBASSIES IN NAIROBI COMMEMORATE ASEAN’S 55TH FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY

From left to right: Ambassador Sasirit Tangulrat of Thailand, Chargé d’Affaires Fatin Zafirah Haris of Malaysia, Director-General for Bilateral and Political Affairs Moi Lemoshira of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya, Ambassador Mohamad Hery Saripudin of Indonesia, and Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang of the Philippines.

 NAIROBI, 05 August 2022 – The 55^th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was commemorated by the ASEAN Nairobi Committee (ANC) through a special flag-raising ceremony held at the residence of the High Commissioner of Malaysia in Nairobi.

Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang joined her counterparts from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand in welcoming guests from the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), led by Ambassador Moi Lemoshira, Director-General for Bilateral and Political Affairs; the ASEAN diaspora in Kenya; and the media. The ANC is composed of four ASEAN Member States (out of ten) that have resident embassies in Nairobi.

Ambassador Sasirit Tangulrat of Thailand, speaking on behalf of the ANC, cited ASEAN solidarity and collective efforts as having contributed to the increased visibility and understanding of ASEAN in Kenya. She expressed hope that ASEAN and Kenya can further advance common interests in the post-pandemic world.

In her remarks read by Director-General Lemoshira, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo expressed appreciation for the excellent cooperation between Kenya and ASEAN Member States both bilaterally and multilaterally. She added that ASEAN and the East African Community (EAC)–which Kenya is a part of—share similar aspirations for peace, economic growth and social progress, a strong foundation for cooperation between the two groupings.

Guests in the ASEAN Day event partook of favorite ASEAN dishes and delicacies including chicken adobo, nasi lemak, nasi goreng, pad thai, teh tarik, and maja blanca, while enjoying folk music from ASEAN Member States. END

Director-General for Bilateral and Political Affairs Moi Lemoshira read the remarks of Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo on the occasion of the 55^th anniversary of ASEAN.

Ambassador Tang (fifth from left) with Nairobi PE personnel and officers of the Filipino Community in Kenya. 

Statement of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo on the 6th Anniversary of the Award on the South China Sea Arbitration

12 July 2022

Today we commemorate the 6th anniversary of the Award on the South China Sea Arbitration. More than a historic milestone whose value lies in its commemorative significance, we recall 12 July 2016 as the day that affirmed to the community of nations that the rule of law prevails, and that stability, peace and progress can only be attained when founded on a rules-based legal order on the oceans, as it should be everywhere else. 

The Award and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) are the twin anchors of the Philippines’ policy and actions on the West Philippine Sea. 

The year 2022 is also the 40th anniversary of the adoption of UNCLOS. UNCLOS sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. There is no recourse to general international law on matters comprehensively covered by the UNCLOS. Compliance with UNCLOS, which represents a delicate balance of the rights and obligations of all States Parties, in its entirety is key to ensuring global and regional peace and the fair and sustainable use of the oceans. 

The Award, an affirmation of UNCLOS’ dispute resolution mechanisms, not only sets reason and right in the South China Sea, but is an inspiration for how matters should be considered – through reason and right – by states facing similarly challenging circumstances. 

It authoritatively ruled that the claim of historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line’ had no basis in law and is without legal effect. 

It upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone. 

It affirmed that certain actions within the Philippines’ EEZ violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights and were thus unlawful; that large-scale reclamation and construction of artificial islands caused severe environmental harm in violation of international conventions; that the large-scale harvesting of endangered marine species damaged the marine ecosystem; and that actions taken since the commencement of the arbitration had aggravated the disputes. 

These findings are no longer within the reach of denial and rebuttal, and are conclusive as they are indisputable. The Award is final. We firmly reject attempts to undermine it; nay, even erase it from law, history and our collective memories. At the same time, we welcome the support of a growing list of countries for the Award. 

The Award benefits the world across the board. We do not see it as directed at any other country, near or far. We see it as it should be seen: as favoring all which are similarly situated by clarifying definitively a legal situation beyond the reach of arms to change. It puts this aspect of international law beyond the limit of prescription. 

And so we say once again: the present that we need and the future that we want is a peaceful South China Sea. The Philippines is committed to this for as long as it exists. END 

PH AMBASSADOR TANG PAYS COURTESY CALL ON UNEP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN NAIROBI

Nairobi, 30 June 2022 – PH Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Marie Charlotte G. Tang paid a courtesy call on UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen and conveyed that she looks forward to being actively engaged in UNEP matters.  ED Andersen relayed that she is keen on the strong support from the new administration on the global fight against plastics and hopes that the Philippines continues to be a loud voice on environmental issues.