New york: The Philippines, serving as the chair of the Like-Minded Group for Middle-Income Countries (LMG-MICs), has urged the international community to support reforms addressing the unique challenges faced by middle-income countries (MICs). This call was made during the 10th Ministerial Meeting held on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, taking place from September 9 to 28, 2025.
According to Philippines News Agency, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, in her opening remarks on September 25, emphasized the significant role that MICs are playing as global development actors. She highlighted that MICs contribute a third of the global GDP and are home to 75 percent of the world’s population. Lazaro described MICs as innovators, investors, peacebuilders, and partners, who are not only vulnerable to climate change but also responsive to it, and champions of multilateralism.
The meeting, with the theme ‘Catalyzing Development Cooperation for Middle-Income Countries,’ focused on the increasing influence of MICs in shaping global economic and social policies. Lazaro stressed the need to develop a Strategic Program of Action (SPOA) to align with the group’s priorities, which include sustainable transitions, financing for development, climate action, digital transformation, and inclusive partnerships.
She referred to the Makati Declaration, adopted in April in the Philippines, as a crucial step that laid the groundwork for the SPOA. Lazaro pointed out that outdated global financial policies continue to impede the progress of MICs due to restrictive metrics, limited concessional financing, and debt burdens. She asserted that middle-income countries must actively chart their own pathways to progress.
Lazaro advocated for reforms in global financial systems and UN mechanisms to acknowledge the diversity and development needs of MICs. The ministerial meeting concluded with the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration, reaffirming the group’s commitment to advance the SPOA and promote more inclusive multilateralism.