BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim delivers his speech during the celebration of 9th World Peace Summit held at Grand Hyatt, Incheon in South Korea on Sept. 18, 2023. (Photo courtesy of CMCT)
COTABATO CITY—“The Bangsamoro region is now a land of peace.” This is the statement of BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim while addressing global leaders at the 9th World Peace Summit held at Grand Hyatt, Incheon in South Korea on Sept. 18.
“Today, I stand before all of you with utmost humility and say that the Bangsamoro is now a land of peace, prosperity, and justice where Muslims, Christians, Indigenous Peoples’, and our Lumad brothers and sisters co-exist and live in harmony,” Chief Minister Ebrahim added.
Attended by over 1,800 world leaders, Chief Minister Ebrahim joined the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, and Restoration of Light (HWPL), and peace advocates from around the globe in celebrating the 9th anniversary of the World Peace Summit. This event served as a testament to over nine years of unwavering commitment to peacebuilding and conflict resolution in the Philippines and abroad.
Reflecting on his attendance at the 1st Annual Commemoration of the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace (WARP) Summit on September 18, 2015, Ebrahim called upon everyone to unite and continue working toward the shared vision of peace and justice.
“I also shared that during that time we had ended more than forty years of unrest in the Southern Philippines when we signed the comprehensive agreement on the Bangsamoro with the Government of the Philippines,” the Chief Minister said.
He also emphasized, “Despite the challenges we have faced during the early years of the transition period, we have endured and continue to create a bureaucracy that is rooted in the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people.”
Ebrahim also presented the Government of the Day’s key legislative measures to ensure that the foundations of the current administration are strong and firm.
“During this time, we have achieved key legislation, such as the Bangsamoro administrative, civil service, education, and electoral codes,” he said.
He said that to attain the goal of an empowered, cohesive, and progressive Bangsamoro, the current administration has introduced the 12-Point Priority Agenda centered on Moral Governance. This agenda focuses on governance, economy, social services, peaceful and resilient communities, climate-resilient infrastructure, culture and identity preservation, and education.
Other significant strides in the governance of BARMM were also mentioned. One of these is the region’s status as the second fastest-growing region in the country, with an economic performance of 7.5 percent.
“We credited this success to the significantly better peace and order situation in the region, an overarching guidepost of our model of governance: Mooral Governance,” he shared.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister shared an important event from the 32nd World Peace Tour of the HWPL, during which Chairman Man Lee participated in Camp Darapanan for the signing of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War. The Bangsamoro leader announced that January 24 has been declared HWPL Peace Day in BARMM.
“I congratulate Chairman Man Lee on the significant milestone of the HWPL and everyone who believes in the mission of the organization in championing peace, harmony, and inclusivity,” the Chief Minister stressed.
The Bangsamoro leader called upon influential leaders, policymakers, and peace advocates across the globe to become catapults that promote peace, disarmament, and a sustainable future.
“Let us continue to write a story of peace. One that is firmly based on our shared dedication to the common good and goodwill,” Ebrahim said. (Kasan Usop, Jr./BIO)
