Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Delivered by New Zealand Second Secretary, Mitch Bradley.
Thank you Mr Vice President,
Aotearoa New Zealand thanks the Acting High Commissioner for her report. We welcome the Government of the Philippines and national partners’ commitment to the continued implementation of the United Nations Joint Programme.
New Zealand welcomes the Philippines’ cooperation with international human rights mechanisms and special procedures mandate holders. We strongly encourage strengthened engagement with Civil Society Organisations under the Joint Programme.
New Zealand welcomes the Philippines’ statement that the “war on drugs” will be conducted within the framework of the law and with respect for human rights, and notes steps taken by the Philippines to improve investigations into extra-judicial killings. We urge the Philippines to conduct prompt, impartial, thorough, and transparent investigations into all killings and to follow through with remedies for victims and their families.
We support the intervention of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines, the continued monitoring, oversight and capacity-building by the Office of the High Commissioner and we endorse the recommendations in the High Commissioner’s report.
Finally, we urge the Philippines not to reinstate the death penalty in contravention of its international obligations.
Thank you, Mr President.