Philippines Reaffirms Support for Rules-Based International Order at the 3rd EU Indo-Pacific Forum

BRUSSELS 05 February 2024 – Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo called for all countries to “keep to the path of peace and build resilience” through the rule of law at the 3rd European Union Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum (EUIPMF) held on 2 February 2024 in Brussels, Belgium.

The Secretary was one of the opening speakers for the roundtable session on “Geopolitical and Security Challenges in the Indo-Pacific” at the EUIPMF. The roundtable session was co-moderated by the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / European Commission Vice President (HRVP) Josep Borrell Fontelles and Sri Lanka’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry.

“Especially in a world of flux, the rule of law guarantees equity and stability in the global commons. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the maritime domain that predominates the Indo-Pacific context,” Secretary Manalo stated. He highlighted the rising pattern of aggression and militarization in the region, notably in the South China Sea, where such acts of aggression contravene the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 1982 Manila Declaration of the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes, and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

The Secretary emphasized that “peace, rule of law, and the pursuit of more prosperous, just, inclusive societies should not be sacrificed on the altar of transformative shifts in geopolitics. We must reinforce the fabric of multilateralism that allows us to work together for a common purpose, despite differences.”

Secretary Manalo also met with his counterparts at the sidelines of the EUIPMF, including the Foreign Ministers of Belgium, Sweden, Cyprus, Slovenia, Poland, Greece, Hungary, Czech Republic, Denmark, Romania  and Croatia. 

The third meeting of the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum brought together top diplomats and government officials from the 27 EU Member States and 42 Indo-Pacific countries from East Africa to the Pacific Islands. This year, discussions focused on challenges in security and peace in the region, economic resilience, green economy and climate change. END