Inaugural Philippines-Denmark Bilateral Consultations
Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo and Danish Permanent Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen (6th and 7th from left, respectively) are flanked by the Philippine and Danish delegations to the inaugural Philippines-Denmark Bilateral Consultations held in Taguig City. Also in the photo are European Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Cleofe Natividad (5th from left) and Danish Ambassador to the Philippines Jan Top Christensen (3rd from right).
18 April 2017 MANILA – Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo and Danish Permanent Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark on the Establishment of a Mechanism for Bilateral Consultations on April 04.
The MOU will be the two countries’ guide in convening their biennial bilateral consultations. It aims to enhance bilateral relations, particularly in political-security cooperation; economic cooperation; socio-cultural, educational, and scientific and technological cooperation; consular and law enforcement cooperation; and regional and global cooperation.
During the call of the Permanent Secretary on Acting Secretary Manalo, which ensued after the signing of the MOU, both sides discussed a wide range of issues affecting bilateral relations, including general political and economic developments in both countries; support of each other’s candidatures in the United Nations and other international organizations; cooperation in international fora; possible upcoming visits to Denmark by Philippine officials; the opening of the Philippine Embassy in Copenhagen in 2018; the Philippine Chairmanship of ASEAN 2017; the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea; the Philippines-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA); and Brexit and the future of Europe.
Prior to the signing of the MOU and the call, Acting Secretary Manalo addressed a regional meeting of Danish Ambassadors in the Asia-Pacific at a working lunch. The Acting Secretary spoke on the Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship, and Philippine and ASEAN relations with China, Japan, Korea, the United States, and India. END