Philippines wins third consecutive term in Unesco’s oceanographic body

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines won a seat on the executive council of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO) for the period 2019-2021, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

This is the Philippines’ third consecutive term as one of 40 members of the IOC Executive Council after winning a seat during the elections held at the 30th session of the IOC Assembly at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.

“As a maritime and archipelagic state located at the center of the world’s marine biodiversity, the Philippines willl continue to contribute to the Commission’s unique role in fostering international cooperation in ocean science and in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, particularly Goal 14 on Life Below Water,” DFA said in a statement.

Established in 1960 as a body with functional autonomy within UNESCO, the IOC is the competent organization for marine science within the UN system. 

The IOC promotes international cooperation and coordinates programs in research, services and capacity-building, in order to learn more about the nature and resources of the ocean and coastal areas and to apply that knowledge for the improvement of management, sustainable development, protection of the marine environment and the decision-making processes of its member-states.