Abu Dhabi: Saeed Al Hajeri, Minister of State, welcomed Maria Theresa Lazaro, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, and her accompanying delegation during their visit to the UAE to participate in Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

During the meeting, both sides discussed avenues for strengthening bilateral ties between the UAE and the Philippines and opportunities to expand cooperation across several priority sectors, including the economy, technology, security, health, and education.

Al Hajeri commended the distinguished relations between the UAE and the Philippines, and reaffirmed the shared commitment to further advancing collaboration, particularly across the economic and investment sectors.

Both sides underlined that the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) marked the Philippines’ first free trade agreement with a Middle Eastern country, and represents a significant milestone and positive step forward in strengthening bilateral economic ties.

The discussions also explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation in the defense and military fields, including ways to further develop this cooperation in line with the shared interests of both countries, within the framework of the memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation to be signed during the visit.

The meeting was attended by Mohamed Obaid Al Zaabi, UAE Ambassador to the Philippines, and Alfonso A. Ver, Ambassador of the Philippines to the UAE, as well as several senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.