DFA Celebrates Partnership with African Countries

DFA-OPD photo by James Ryan Artiaga. 

MANILA 06 June 2024 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) today celebrated the enduring friendship and partnership between the Philippines and African countries.

Today’s event is the culmination of the celebration of ties with Africa that kicked-off on May 25 during the 61st anniversary of the African Union. The event is a collaboration with the diplomatic missions of  six African countries in Manila, namely: Angola, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. The gathering likewise featured booths showcasing each participating embassies’ culture and cuisine. 

Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo, in his keynote remarks, outlined the Department’s new policy direction on a renewed focus on Africa, including key initiatives in the bilateral and multilateral front. “The Philippines and Africa share not only common challenges but also a shared vision for progress and prosperity. Despite the geographical distance that separates us, our nations are united by a spirit of resilience, innovation, and a commitment to inclusive and sustainable development,” the Secretary said.

Speaking on behalf of all six participating heads of mission, Ambassador Mohammed Rida El Fassi of Morocco thanked the Secretary for providing a venue to celebrate not only the partnership between the Philippines and the individual African countries, but also to showcase the culture, including arts and cuisine, of African countries. Speaking on the new chapter of friendly relations between Africa and the Philippines, Ambassador El Fassi said that, “we can clearly see the outreach policy of the current Administration and the ongoing efforts to strengthen relations with African countries at both the bilateral and multilateral levels.” Several honorary consuls of African countries also took part in  the event.

The Philippines maintains six (6) embassies in the African continent, namely: Abuja in Nigeria, Cairo in Egypt, Nairobi in Kenya, Pretoria in South Africa, Rabat in Morocco, and Tripoli in Libya. The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon concurrently covers 4 countries in Africa. END