GOVPH

Statement of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo During Joint Press Conference With Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg

05 August 2024

Ladies and gentlemen, 

I thank Minister Battsetseg and her Government for the warm hospitality and the arrangements for our meeting. 

The Minister and I had very productive discussions this morning, and I look forward to meeting Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai later today. 

My trip marks the first bilateral Official Visit of a Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs to Mongolia. It is a fitting part of our yearlong celebration of the fiftieth year of our formal bilateral relations. 

The Philippines and Mongolia share the same values of freedom, democracy, and respect for the rule of law. Our two countries are determined to chart our respective paths as sovereign states with our own strategic agencies, free from external interference. The Philippines’ independent foreign policy resonates with Mongolia’s Third Neighbor Policy. 

Our two governments are also united by our common aspiration to deliver to our peoples the dividends of our fast growing economies. In my meeting with Minister Battsetseg today, I congratulated Mongolia on its attainment of upper middle-income economy status this year. The Minister and I discussed ways to promote trade between our two economies, including the establishment of ties between our business communities, and the potential for further cooperation on areas ranging from tourism to agriculture to education, particularly English language training. 

I had the pleasure of also signing with Minister Battsetseg today a Memorandum of Understanding on sports cooperation. 

The Philippines and Mongolia are both vulnerable to natural calamities, and must work together to mitigate and reduce disaster risks. As an expression of solidarity, the Philippines has donated a modest amount to assist the Government of Mongoliain addressing the impact of natural disasters. 

Reflecting our shared desire to further enhance our bilateral relations, we also signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between our Foreign Ministries. 

This agreement commits both sides to cooperate and coordinate on bilateral and international issues of common concern. 

The Minister and I also discussed multilateral cooperation, including on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, the role of women in peace and security, disaster risk reduction, the common interest of middle-income countries, and mutual support for multilateral candidatures. 

We also discussed ASEAN and Mongolia’s role in the ASEAN Regional Forum and the interest of Mongolia to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partnership and to participate in the East Asia Summit. 

I also wish to stress the importance of affirming international law and the rules-based international order. The Philippines has a strong interest in affirming, in particular, the 1982 UNCLOS, which guarantees, among others, the freedom of transit and right of access of landlocked states. 

In this light, I highlighted the Philippines’ candidature for the United Nations Security Council in 2027 to 2028. In so doing, if we become a member, Mongolia can count on the Philippines to participate in the Council in an open, inclusive, and constructive manner. 

Finally, I thank Minister Battsetseg for ensuring the success of our talks. Thank you. END