12 July 2013 - Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario met with his counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs Didier Reynders on July 10 in Brussels to hold bilateral talks.
The meeting was highlighted by the signing the Philippines-Belgium Joint Plan of Action (JPA).
The Joint Plan of Action is the first comprehensive agreement between the Philippines and Belgium in its 67 years of diplomatic relations. This is also the first agreement of its kind which Belgium concluded with an ASEAN Member State.
The agreement serves as the two countries’ blueprint for strategic bilateral cooperation, guiding the two countries’ efforts to enhance trade and investment cooperation, address mutual concerns on immigration, consular matters and law enforcement, and foster sports and cultural exchange. The Joint Plan of Action also emphasizes the Philippines and Belgium’s commitment to work together on common interests in various multilateral fora such as the UN and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).
At the outset, Secretary del Rosario congratulated Belgium for the forthcoming coronation of Crown Prince Philippe as the new King of the Belgians.
The Secretary and Foreign Minister Reynders discussed current efforts to enhance Philippines-Belgium relations, including strengthening judicial cooperation, collaborating on energy and environment matters, and working towards the recognition of the Philippine nursing curricula in the Flanders Region.
The officials exchanged views on global political and economic developments, including the upcoming 9th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in December 2013 and the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea disputes. On the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea, Foreign Minister Reynders expressed Belgium’s support for the Philippines’ legal approach to resolving the disputes.
The Secretary informed Minister Reynders about the favorable performance of the Philippine economy and the progress of the peace talks in Mindanao.
Secretary del Rosario and Minister Reynders agreed to work towards a high-level Belgian economic mission to the Philippines in 2015, which will be led by a member of the Belgian Royal Family.
They also agreed on the importance of organizing a political visit to the Philippines and arranging cooperation and exchanges of visit in various sectors, including tourism, healthcare, services, port management, energy and environmental protection. END
