Carlos P. Romulo was the first Asian diplomat to hold major leadership positions across two core organs of the United Nations (UN). He served as President of both the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council.
He represented the Philippines in international diplomacy during the post-World War II period. He also participated directly in the initial formation of the UN.
The Early Life of Carlos P. Romulo
Carlos Pena Romulo was born in 1898 in the town of Camiling, which is located within the province of Tarlac in the Philippines.
Before his professional career in international diplomacy began, he worked as a daily newspaper reporter based in Manila. He also spent many years serving as a newspaper editor and a publisher.
In 1942, he received the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in Correspondence. He won the award for a series of articles detailing military developments in Asia prior to the outbreak of World War II. He was the very first non-American journalist to receive the prize.
During World War II, he served as an active officer in the United States Army Forces in the Far East. He held the military rank of brigadier general and worked directly under General Douglas MacArthur.
After World War II, Carlos P. Romulo played a direct role in the founding of the United Nations. In June 1945, he led the Philippine delegation to the San Francisco Conference, where delegates drafted the United Nations Charter.
He signed the charter on behalf of his country. The Philippine government appointed him as its Permanent Representative to the United Nations..
Presidency of the UN General Assembly
Romulo achieved his first major UN leadership role in the autumn of 1949. On September 20 of that year, the General Assembly opened its fourth regular session in Flushing Meadows, New York.
Member states held an election to choose the President of the General Assembly. The candidates running for the position were Carlos P. Romulo and Vladimir Clementis, who served as the Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia.
Out of 58 valid votes cast by the member states, Romulo received a total of 53 votes. He assumed office on that exact same day.
Based on the vote results, Romulo became the fourth President of the UN General Assembly. He was also the first Asian diplomat to hold the position.
He led the General Assembly throughout its fourth session. During this period, he managed the daily assembly meetings and maintained order during debates.
His term as President of the General Assembly concluded on September 19, 1950.
Four Terms as the UN Security Council President
In January 1957, Romulo joined the UN Security Council as the representative of the Philippines.
The Philippines served as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the 1957–1958 term. Romulo took his seat as the country's representative at the start of that term.
The presidency of the Security Council rotates among its members on a monthly basis. Through this rotation, Romulo led the Security Council during his first month in office.
He became the first diplomat from Southeast Asia to preside over the Security Council. He served a second monthly term as Council President in December 1957.
Romulo returned to the Security Council during the 1980–1981 term, when the Philippines served another non-permanent term.
He presided over the Security Council for two additional monthly terms. The first occurred in November 1980, and the second took place in December 1981.
In total, he served four monthly terms as President of the Security Council before concluding his public service in January 1984.
