The year of 2021 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Republic of Korea (ROK) joining the United Nations. To celebrate this event, the United Nations offices in ROK and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of ROK jointly organized a virtual Policy Dialogue on the Future of Multilateralism and the Role of the Republic of Korea on 22 October 2021.
The Dialogue comprised three sessions, including the Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance, Multilateral Climate Action for People and Planet, and Innovation and Digital Transformation. Mr. Ganbold Baasanjav, the Head of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) East and North-East Asia Office and Mr. Wook-jin Chang, Director-General, International Organization Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROK opened the meeting. Key UN agencies based in Korea participated in the event, notably: the International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, United Nations Environment Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization, United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations Project Office on Governance (UNPOG), World Food Programme (WFP), and several Korean governmental agencies.
The Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP), on behalf of UN Environment Programme (UNEP), attended an event of one of the meeting organisers. In the Policy Dialogue, the NOWPAP’s representative presented relevant activities in the field of the integrated river basin and coastal management, biodiversity conservation, pollution prevention and reduction, and environmental monitoring and assessment. The great support provided by the Government of ROK to NOWPAP was specifically emphasized during the speech, specifically the hosting an office of Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU) in Busan, and the Marine Environmental Emergency Preparedness and Response Regional Activity Center (MERRAC) in Daejeon. It was also stressed that NOWPAP would continue the strengthening of the currently strong collaboration with ROK to promote the cooperation in ocean governance in the NOWPAP region.
The event clearly showcased the ROK’s active role in supporting the United Nations, both at the national level and globally. Also, it offered a unique opportunity for the UN Offices in ROK to reach out to the wider community in Korea and raise awareness on the work of the UN in ROK.
