Manila, Sept. 27 -- The Philippines called for disputes and conflicts to be resolved through diplomacy and international law rather than force, warning that ongoing conflicts, including those in the Middle East and Ukraine, are taking a toll on the global economy.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro made the call in her address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York City on Saturday, where she noted that more than 50 conflicts are taking place worldwide as geopolitical competition intensifies and undermines multilateral institutions.

"When more than 645 million people face hunger, when our climate remains in a state of calamity, and when our collective conscience is stained by humanita...