PH to host high-level conference for middle-income countries

The Philippines will host the High-Level Conference of Middle Income Countries in Makati City on April 28-29, 2025, the first time this meeting will be held in the Asia Pacific region.

Approximately 200 senior officials from like-minded middle-income economies, alongside representatives from UN agencies, civil society, and global financial institutions, are expected to attend.

Discussions will focus on concrete solutions for middle-income countries (MICs) to address challenges such as inequality, climate vulnerability, access to technology, financing, and green transitions, with an aim to get rid of outdated metrics and models in development and financing assistance.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo emphasized that MICs are positioned to increase their global economic and political influence and shape a more equal world and fairer international system.

The conference aims to foster new generation partnerships where MICs act as agents of change and explore alternatives to outdated development models and metrics like GDP.

The meeting will also allow member countries to share best practices for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The Philippines is set to chair the Like-Minded Group of Middle-Income Countries at the UN, taking over from Morocco, and is expected to graduate to upper-middle income country status by 2026.