METRO MANILA — The Philippines’ international development partners reaffirmed their strong and continued support to the country’s comprehensive peace process during the International Development Partners’ Forum held on Friday, May 14.

Organized by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), the gathering aimed to update the country’s foreign development partners on the status of the Philippine peace process.

The event also served as a follow through activity to the Mindanao Working Group’s meeting held in 2017.

Support to the Mindanao peace process

Australian Ambassador Steven James Robinson expressed interest on how his government can support the normalization track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

The CAB is the landmark peace agreement signed between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2014.

“Australia, as you know, is a long standing supporter of the peace process between the Philippine government and the MILF and overall security and development in the Bangsamoro region,” Robinson said.

“I and other international development partners who are joining us in this forum look forward to hearing on how we can push forward with the transition and the normalization agenda,” he added.

World Bank Country Director Ndiame Diop also declared his agency’s desire to take part  in the implementation of the CAB and to help in pushing forward the peace process.

“As we have done at the World Bank for more than a decade, we stand ready to assist OPAPP in its endeavors to address all the challenges to achieving lasting peace and stability in Mindanao,” he said.


“We are looking forward to the launch of the Bangsamoro Development Trust Fund next week. This instrument focuses on financing and coordinating assistance for  the rehabilitation and construction and development of Bangsamoro communities,” Diop added.

Okada Fumiyaki, Representative of Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko, explained the cross-cutting interventions Japan is carrying out in partnership with the Phlippine government to help strengthen the country’s peace process.

“There are three main pillars for our support in the peace process. One is the normalization; second is the support for the transition of the BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao); and third is the development of socioeconomic infrastructure,” Fumiyaki said.

The passage and ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in 2019 under the CAB’s political track led to the establishment of the BARMM.

The BOL is a reflection of the ideals and aspirations of the Bangsamoro people, particularly their desire for self-determination and the need to address historical injustices.

“We consider these three elements to be the trinity for the peace process which means each one of them is necessary in order to establish the everlasting peace and the sustainable development,” Fumiyaki said.

“The Japanese government is committed to continue its support for the peace process together with the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency),” he added.

For his part, Christoph Wagner, who represented European Union (EU) Ambassador Luc Veron, shared the peacebuilding and development initiatives they are implementing in the Philippines, particularly in support of the CAB’s Political and Normalization Tracks.

“We have been a long standing partner with the PH both on the political track and also the norm track. Our cooperation with OPAPP is very good and we are really welcoming the close cooperation with the BARMM govt and the other actors,” Wagner said.

Women and IPs in peacebuilding

Meanwhile, Canadian Ambassador Peter McArthur said that aside from supporting the Mindanao Trust Fund, their government has also been developing partnerships to promote inclusive governance, and improve the social well-being of women and indigenous peoples (IPs) in conflict-affected and conflict-vulnerable areas in the country.

“We will continue to work with the government and civil society to produce development gains already achieved to ensure that we can offset this stabilizing effects of conflict and to ensure an effective reaching out to the poorest and most vulnerable including women and IPs,” McArthur said.

Gustavo Gonzales, United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines, lauded the Philippines’ efforts in supporting women former combatants and building their capacity to  participate in the peace process.

“In this new engagement of the UN, women empowerment in peacebuilding will be a major area of investment. I would like to thank Secretary Galvez for your support in reopening the collaboration with the peacebuilding family,” Gustavo said.

“Now we are proud that we can say that OPAPP and the UN have for the first time a project that supports women ex-combatants,” he added.

PH gratitude to int’l peace partners

Speaking to participants of the forum, Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. thanked the international community for its unwavering commitment to the nation’s peace process, especially for helping to support the establishment of the Bangsamoro Normalization Trust Fund.

“On behalf of the President and the Philippine government, thank you very much for giving your support to the peace process. Together, let us leave a legacy of sustainable and long lasting peace for our children and generations to come,” Galvez said.

“As we have endeavored for different opportunities and also the challenges that we will be having now, we are thanking our partners for all the help that you’ve given to us, particularly our donors for giving their generosity in bringing some support to the Mindanao Trust Fund and now the  Bangsamoro Normalization Trust Fund,” he added.

The forum was attended by representatives from the Office of the Executive Secretary, Office of the Cabinet Secretary, Department of Finance, Department of Foreign Affairs, National Economic and Development Authority, Embassy of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Embassy of New Zealand, Embassy of the Royal Norweigian Government, Embassy of the Republic of Turkey, Embassy of the USA, Embassy of the Russian Federation, Embassy of Brunei Darussalam, Asian Development Bank, Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation German Agency for International Cooperation, Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, Community and Family Services International, Conciliation Resources, Swiss Foundation for Mine Action, Food and Agriculture Organization, International Alert, International Committee on the Red Cross, International Fund for Agricultural Development, International Labour Organization, International Organization for Migration, JICA, Korea International Cooperation Agency, The Asia Foundation, Turkish Coordination and Cooperation Agency, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, United Nations Development Program, United Nations Human Settlements Program, United Nations Fund for Population Activities, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, United Nations Office for Project Services, United States Agency for International Development, and World Food Programme. ###