Philippine and Swiss Foreign Ministers Reaffirm to Uphold Rules-Based International Order and Commit to Developing Stronger Diplomatic Ties
MANILA 12 February 2024 - Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo met with Swiss Federal Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis in Manila on 08 February 2024. This is the first visit of a Swiss Foreign Minister to the Philippines since 2008. It follows the successful conduct of the 10th Philippines-Switzerland Political Consultations held in Berne last year.
Secretary Manalo and Minister Cassis commended the robust economic ties between the Philippines and Switzerland, facilitated by the strong presence of Swiss companies and investors in the Philippines. They agreed to strengthen collaboration on consular affairs, given the sizable community of Filipinos in Switzerland and vice versa. They also discussed fostering labor cooperation and partnership on climate action. Secretary Manalo thanked Switzerland for its continued support for the Bangsamoro Peace Process.
The two sides also exchanged views on various multilateral, regional and global geopolitical security issues, including the West Philippine Sea / South China Sea. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of upholding peace, stability and the rules-based international order.
The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to increased bilateral and multilateral collaboration between the Philippines and Switzerland. The two Ministers looked forward to the next round of Political Consultations in 2025 as well as the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027. END