PH AMBASSADOR WITNESSES MEDAL PINNING CEREMONY OF PHILIPPINE POLICE CONTINGENT TO THE UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SOUTH SUDAN (UNMISS)

Philippine non-resident Ambassador to South Sudan Marie Charlotte G. Tang (back row, eighth from left) with the 20 police officers from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and one military expert from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) who are currently part of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) (Photo from PCol. Cheryl Yatar)

NAIROBI, 18 August 2023 – Philippine Ambassador to South Sudan (with residence in Nairobi, Kenya) Marie Charlotte G. Tang witnessed the medal pinning ceremony of the 20 officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who are part of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), held on 16 August 2023 at the UN House, Juba, South Sudan.

The ceremony is traditionally held to recognize the services rendered by the peacekeepers as they near the completion of their tour of duty in the mission area. The current PNP contingent arrived in South Sudan in batches between October and December 2022.

In her remarks, Ambassador Tang commended the Filipino peacekeepers for heeding the call of service and contributing to the transformation process of South Sudan, the world's youngest country.

Ambassador Tang emphasized how the Philippines' participation in the UNMISS builds on the country's six decades of active participation in UN peacekeeping operations. She reaffirmed the Philippines' continuing commitment to UN peacekeeping as the country's contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security.

Ambassador Tang also encouraged the Filipino peacekeepers to continue being agents and advocates of peace as they return to their respective communities in the Philippines.

UN Police (UNPOL) Commissioner for UNMISS Christine Fossen commended the Filipino peacekeepers for their professionalism, dedication, and passion for peace. She also cited the Philippines’ “sterling reputation” in peacekeeping and thanked the Philippine Government for sending highly competent peacekeepers whose work are vital to the mandate of UNMISS, setting a benchmark for future missions.

The Filipino police peacekeepers are deployed to the main UNMISS headquarters in Juba and in field offices across South Sudan. Among the positions and tasks that they handle are on personnel administration, logistics, technical advisory, planning and budgeting, public information, field office command, and capacity-building for the local police force.

The PNP officers, majority of whom are females, have also been supporting their South Sudanese counterparts on basic Gender and Development (GAD) concepts and on handling violence against women and children (VAWC) cases. This is in line with the Philippines' strong international advocacy on gender equality and women empowerment (GEWE) and promoting greater participation of women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

The PNP officers, most of whom are also first-timers in a UN mission, expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people of South Sudan.

UNMISS was created in July 2011 through the UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1996. It is mandated to support the consolidation of peace and security, and establish the conditions for development, following South Sudan’s independence. END

Ambassador Tang, in her remarks, cited the Philippines’ long tradition of participation in UN peacekeeping operations and conveyed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s intent to revitalize Philippine engagements in UN peacekeeping missions.

The Filipino police peacekeepers with guests of honor and officials of UN Police (UNPOL) in UNMISS. Seated from left to right: Chief of Operations of UNPOL Felly Bahizi Rutagerura (Rwanda); Ambassador Tang; UNPOL Commissioner in UNMISS Christine Fossen (Norway); Chief of Staff/Officer-in-Charge Deputy Police Commissioner Murat Isil (Turkey); and Chief of Capacity Building of UNPOL Victoria Matjila (Namibia).

PCol. Cheryl Yatar (center), Philippine Contingent Commander, is awarded a medal and certificate by UNPOL Commissioner for UNMISS Fossen (left) and Ambassador Tang (right).

The medal pinning ceremony was attended by UNMISS officials, representatives of different police contingents in UNMISS, and members of the Filipino community in South Sudan.

 Prior to the medal pinning ceremony, Ambassador Tang received a briefing from UNPOL Commissioner Fossen on the work of the Mission and the Filipino police contingent.

ASEAN COMMITTEE IN NAIROBI COMMEMORATES 56^TH ASEAN DAY

From left to right: Ambassador Mohamad Hery Saripudin of Indonesia, High Commissioner Ruzaimi bin Mohamad of Malaysia, Ambassador Josphat Maikara of the Foreign Service Administration of the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (MFDA), President Erick Rutto of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang of the Philppines (also Chair of ASEAN Nairobi Committee for 2023), and Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Torsak Janpian of Thailand do the “ASEAN Handshake”.

NAIROBI, 08 August 2023 – The ASEAN Committee in Nairobi (ACN) held a special flag raising ceremony to commemorate the 56^th founding anniversary of ASEAN today at the Philippine Embassy grounds in Nairobi. The ACN consists of the four ASEAN Member States (out of ten) with resident embassies in Nairobi namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand.

In her remarks, ACN Chair and Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang cited ASEAN’s contribution to promoting peace and stability in Southeast Asia, which has paved the way for the region to become one the most dynamic and fastest-growing in the world today. She added that with ASEAN’s theme for 2023, “ASEAN Matters” Epicentrum of Growth”, ASEAN will continue to establish the region as an epicenter of sustainable economic growth.

Ambassador Tang also mentioned the initiatives of the ACN to raise ASEAN’s visibility in Kenya. These include the annual ASEAN Festival, outreach to the youth and the business community including the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), and book donation to the University of Nairobi (UoN) Library. She conveyed the hope for increased engagements between ASEAN and Kenya, and between ASEAN and the East African Community (EAC) in the years to come.

Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua of the Kenyan Ministry for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (MFDA), in his remarks read by Ambassador Josphat Maikara, Secretary of the MFDA’s Foreign Service Administration, lauded the strong cooperation between Kenya and ASEAN Member States, bilaterally and multilaterally. He noted that there are immense opportunities for further cooperation, with ASEAN being part of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Kenya being part of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).  

Dr. Erick Rutto, President of the KNCCI, expressed appreciation for the active business-to-business and government-to-business engagements between Kenya and ASEAN. He invited ASEAN to further explore opportunities in Kenya in areas of tourism, healthcare, mining, and the digital economy, via South-South cooperation.

The ASEAN Day ceremony was attended by Kenyan government officials and business representatives, personnel of ACN diplomatic missions, ASEAN diaspora in Nairobi, students, and members of the media. Executive Director Maimunah Moud Sharif of UN-Habitat, a Malaysian national, also graced the event.

Guests were able to experience the diverse culinary traditions of Southeast Asian countries as they partook of delicacies including Indonesia’s bakso (meatballs), Malaysia’s bubur chacha (dessert with pearled sago, sweet potatoes, yams, bananas, and coconut milk), the Philippines’ beef tapa (dried cured beef), and Thailand’s gang kiew wan gai (green curry chicken).

To highlight the improved connectivity between Kenya and ASEAN, Kenya Airways raffled off air tickets between Nairobi and Bangkok. END

The ASEAN Day ceremony started with the singing of the ASEAN Anthem.

From left to right: Madame Suzila Toha of Malaysia, Madame Zulfah Nahdliyati Saripudin of Indonesia, Executive Director Maimunah Moud Sharif of the UN-Habitat, Ambassador Saripudin of Indonesia, High Commissioner Mohamad of Malaysia, Ambassador Maikara of the Kenyan MFDA, Dr. Rutto of KNCCI, Ambassador Tang of the Philippines, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Janpian of Thailand, and Mr. Julius Thairu, Chief Commercial and Customer Officer of Kenya Airways.

Ambassador Tang, in her remarks on behalf of the ASEAN Nairobi Committee (ACN), highlighted ASEAN’s economic dynamism and its contribution to the shaping of a rules-based regional architecture.

Ambassador Tang (left) and Mr. Thairu of Kenya Airways (right), award a ceremonial roundtrip airline ticket to raffle winner Mr. Fervie Brubio (center). Kenya Airways will resume its direct flights between Nairobi, Kenya and Bangkok, Thailand in November 2023.

The ASEAN Family in Nairobi, Kenya

AMBASSADOR TANG CALLS ON NEW KNCCI PRESIDENT TO BOOST PHILIPPINES-KENYA BUSINESS COOPERATION

PH Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang (left) with Dr. Erick Rutto, the new President of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).

NAIROBI, 27 July 2023 – Philippine Ambassador to Kenya Marie Charlotte G. Tang paid a courtesy call on Dr. Erick Rutto, the new President of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), on 27 July 2023 at the KNCCI Office in Nairobi.

Ambassador Tang expressed her hope for the KNCCI to become a partner in strengthening the economic relations between the Philippines and Kenya, as both countries emerge from the pandemic. She cited the new legislations and policy reforms undertaken by the Philippine Government to improve the country’s business and investment climate, and encouraged Kenyan companies to explore business opportunities in the Philippines.

Dr. Rutto conveyed his similar interest to improve the business-to-business relationship between Kenya and the Philippines and identified possible areas of collaboration.

The KNCCI was established in 1965 as a membership-based trade support institution to advance the commercial interests of the Kenyan business community, including through linkages with foreign embassies.

Dr. Rutto, an entrepreneur and founder of Reale Group of Hospitals in Kenya, was elected as KNCCI’s new president in June 2023. He previously served as the KNCCI’s vice president. END