Senate honors former UN Sec. Gen. Ban Ki-moon

The Senate on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, unanimously adopted a resolution honoring the global contributions of South Korean diplomat Ban Ki-moon, the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations General Assembly.

Senate Resolution No. (SRN) 929, introduced by Senate President Pro-tempore Loren Legarda, expresses the "profound sense of the Senate" in honoring Ban and commending his "outstanding global contributions."

"The Philippine Senate, with deep respect and administration, acknowledges the exceptional contributions of Mr. Ban Ki-moon in shaping the global landscape," the resolution stated.

Ban and his wife arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 Monday, February 26, 2024. He was welcomed by the Malacañang Protocol and South Korean Ambassador to Philippines Lee Sang-hwa.

He was later received by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. who expressed his support for the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), which Bam currently heads.

Accompanied by South Korean officials and foreign dignitaries, Ban was set to address the Philippine Senate on Tuesday.

Ban is in the Philippines for the Asian Development Bank's Eminent Speakers' Forum, the statement noted. He was in the country in December 2013, when he visited the Super Typhoon Yolanda-hit province of Tacloban.

At present, Ban chairs the Ban Ki-moon Foundation for a Better Future, Boao Forum for Asia, Global Center on Adaptation, and Global Green Growth Institute, among others.

Ban was elected in the UN General Assembly for two terms from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2016 where he "demonstrated unwavering commitment to the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy."

"The visionary leadership of the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations advocated and mobilized world leaders and parliaments for the adoption of various landmark projects, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UNSDGs), highlighting the importance of collective action to address poverty, hunger, inequality, climate crisis, and other pressing issues facing humanity," the resolution stated.

Legarda said the former UN Secretary-General also actively engaged in decisive efforts to address climate change wherein one of his first major initiatives was the 2007 Climate Change Summit which highlighted his leadership in particular during the lead-up to the 2015 Paris Agreement, a landmark accord bringing nations together for collective action to combat climate change and limit global temperature rise.

As a staunch advocate for gender equality, Ban pioneered the creation of UN Women, resulting in the increase of the number of women employed within the UN, and he likewise actively supported the HeForShe campaign initiative as the first to declare "I am HeForShe" during the launch of the global campaign, the resolution further stated.

As a global leader, Ban played a crucial role in strengthening UN peace efforts by overseeing various peacekeeping missions, contributing to conflict resolution, and fostering peace and stability in regions afflicted with unrest, it added.