Marcos, new UN resident coordinator eye stronger dev’t ties

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

ENHANCED TIES. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (right) meets with new United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines, Arnaud Peral, during a courtesy call at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Thursday (Aug. 14, 2025). The meeting focused on strengthening UN-Philippines cooperation in advancing national development priorities and accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. (PCO Photo)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and new United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in the Philippines, Arnaud Peral, on Thursday expressed their commitment to fostering stronger partnerships between the Philippines and the international body.

The commitment was made during Peral’s courtesy call on Marcos at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Thursday.

In a Facebook post, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Marcos and Peral discussed ways to enhance collaboration between the Philippine government and the UN to advance the country’s development agenda and accelerate progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Their meeting focused on how the UN can further support the Philippine government in advancing national development priorities and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” the PCO said.

Peral was named UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines on Feb. 1, with the approval of the host government.

His career with the UN spans more than 25 years, including leadership roles as UN Resident Coordinator in Tunisia from 2020 to 2025; UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Ecuador; UNDP Country Director in Colombia; UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in México and Brazil; Program Manager and Chief of Staff in UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean in New York; and Program Officer in UNDP Cuba.

Before joining the UN in 2000, Peral served as Cooperation Counsellor for Scientific and Technical Cooperation in the French Embassy in Cuba, Research Assistant in the Ministry of Environment in France, and Research Assistant in public policy in the Ministry of Agriculture in Chile.

Peral holds a master´s degree in Development Economics from the University of Paris X-Nanterre and a bachelor’s degree in Economic Policy from the University Pierre Mendes France, Grenoble.

The UN is a firm partner of the Philippines in achieving national development goals and the 2030 Agenda, including the 17 SDGs.

The SDGs are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity.