Philippines, UK Deepen Bonds of Cooperation in 2nd Maritime Dialogue
LONDON 26 July 2024 – The Philippines and the United Kingdom concluded a productive maritime dialogue in London recently, underscoring their deepening cooperation on maritime and ocean related issues.
Assistant Secretary Marshall Louis M. Alferez of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office (MOAO) led the Philippine delegation, which included officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Coast Guard, Maritime Industry Authority, Philippine Space Agency, and the Philippine Embassy in London.
Senior officials from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) headed the UK team, including Head of Defence and Security Partnerships Department Jason Rheinberg, Legal Director Andy Murdoch, Head of South East Asia Department Matthew Findlay and British Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Laure Beaufils. Aside from the FCDO, the UK delegation also included officials from the UK Department for Transport, Hydrographic Office, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Royal Navy Maritime Domain Awareness Programme.
Key discussions during the dialogue included enhancing cooperation on maritime domain awareness (MDA), safety of international merchant shipping vessels and seafarers, cybersecurity challenges in the maritime sector, strategic communications, crisis management, the law of the sea, marine environment, and ocean governance.
The Philippines and the UK reaffirmed their adherence to the primacy of UNCLOS as the constitution of the oceans that governs and provides the comprehensive legal framework within which all activities in the ocean and seas must be carried out. Both countries also affirmed the importance of upholding the rules-based international order and the rule of law, especially in the South China Sea and the greater Indo-Pacific region.
The UK conveyed its support for the Philippines' diplomatic approach to managing tensions in the South China Sea and called for adherence to the legally binding 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award under UNCLOS.
The dialogue also explored legal cooperation and exchanged views on the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea's (ITLOS) recent Advisory Opinion on climate change and international law (Case no. 31), deep seabed mining, and other pressing maritime and ocean related issues.
Both sides commended the depth and comprehensiveness of the discussions, reflecting a strong and growing partnership between the two countries. Both sides expressed commitment to implement the dialogue's outcomes and agreed action points.
Apart from the maritime dialogue, the Philippine delegation also visited the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) and the Maritime Trade Operation Information Centre (MTOIC) in Portsmouth, both of which form pillars of the UK’s inter-agency architecture on maritime security at home and abroad.
Assistant Secretary Alferez also had a separate meeting with UK FCDO Director General for Indo-Pacific, Middle East and North Africa Mr. Owen Jenkins to discuss strategic issues related to the two countries’ maritime security cooperation and South China Sea matters.
The PHL-UK Maritime Dialogue is a regular bilateral mechanism for the exchange of views on maritime and ocean related matters of mutual concern. It is meant as the platform for elaborating existing engagements and identifying areas for expanding maritime cooperation. The inaugural dialogue was held in Manila in February 2023. END
