Joint Statement
of the Republic of the Philippines and Mongolia
MANILA 19 May 2025
1. At the invitation of H.E. Mr. Enrique A. Manalo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, H.E. Ms. Batmunkh Battsetseg, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, paid an Official Visit to the Philippines on 19-20, May 2025.
2. During her visit, Minister B. Battsetseg held official talks with Secretary Manalo in Manila. As part of her official engagements, Minister B. Battsetseg also paid courtesy calls on H.E. Mr. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., President of the Philippines, and H.E. Mr. Francis Joseph G. Escudero, President of the Senate of the Philippines.
3. The Secretary and the Minister reaffirmed the enduring bonds of friendship between the Philippines and Mongolia, emphasizing that bilateral ties are founded on a shared commitment to peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation. They highlighted common values such as freedom, democracy, and human rights. They also stressed the importance of an open, inclusive, and rules-based international order grounded in international law, equity, and justice.
4. Recalling the “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia” signed on 4 August 2024 in Ulaanbaatar, both sides agreed to convene the next round of Philippines-Mongolia Policy Consultations at the earliest opportunity to identify priority areas of cooperation and exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual concern.
5. Noting that the Philippines and Mongolia are two of the world’s fastest growing economies, the Secretary and the Minister noted that the two resource-rich economies would further benefit from pursuing trade and investment synergies for expanded economic cooperation. They affirmed their shared goal of fostering sustainable economic growth and of opening up opportunities for private sector collaboration
6. The Secretary and the Minister reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening trade and investment ties by fostering sustainable economic growth and private sector collaboration, while advancing comprehensive trade cooperation, expanding trade volume, and promoting mutually beneficial market access.
7. Both sides welcomed the progress made in the negotiation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation. Recognizing that H.E. Mr. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., President of the Philippines, and H.E. Mr. Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, President of Mongolia, have each identified food security as a national priority, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to long-term food security at both the regional and global levels.
8. Both sides expressed their intent to broaden bilateral cooperation by exploring opportunities in areas such as tourism, educational and labor exchange and outsourcing, culture and sports, science, technology and innovation (STI), disaster risk reduction, defense, counterterrorism, air services, and countering transnational crime.
9. The Secretary and the Minister welcomed the growing people-to-people ties between the Philippines and Mongolia. They reaffirmed their commitment to promoting the welfare of Filipino workers in Mongolia, including through the exploration of a bilateral labor agreement.
10. The Secretary noted Mongolia’s declaration of the “Year to Support Regional Development.” Noting the recent exchange of views between H.E. Mr. Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan, Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, and senior Philippine economic officials regarding the Philippines’ Regional Development Plan 2023–2028, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing practical cooperation.
11. On Mongolia’s designation of English as its official second language, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to tangible cooperation through joint initiatives focused on English language training for civil servants and youth leaders, particularly in rural areas, with the aim of promoting inclusive capacity building, strengthening mutual understanding, and contributing meaningfully to Mongolia’s long-term regional development objectives.
12. Both sides emphasized adherence to the United Nations Charter and reaffirmed their commitment to the 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes. Recognizing the critical importance of freedom of navigation and transit to economic growth and security, both sides reaffirmed support for the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
13. Noting that the Philippines and Mongolia share a vision of a world free of nuclear weapons, the Secretary and the Minister expressed their belief that nuclear weapons-free zones are vital confidence-building measures that advance regional security and global disarmament goals. The two sides decided to continue cooperating to promote nuclear weapons-free zones in the context of the review process of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
14. The Secretary and the Minister reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN Centrality and their support for ASEAN-led mechanisms, including the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
15. In this context, the Minister shared Mongolia’s interest in pursuing Sectoral Dialogue Partnership with ASEAN, recognizing its potential to deepen beneficial cooperation. The Minister further noted the Philippines’ candidature for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council for the term 2027-2028.
16. The Secretary noted Mongolia’s efforts to advance regional dialogue through the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) and the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security. Both sides recognized the value of these platforms in promoting peace, stability, and mutual understanding in the region.
17. Both sides emphasized the importance of collective action to address climate change, focusing on building resilience and prioritizing disaster risk reduction. The Philippines expressed its full support for Mongolia’s hosting of the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), to be held in Ulaanbaatar in 2026.
18. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the fruitful and constructive outcomes of their discussions, reaffirmed their commitment to further advancing the bilateral partnership, and underscored the importance of sustaining high-level dialogue and actively exploring concrete avenues for collaboration across all areas of mutual interest. The meeting was held in a spirit of friendship and solidarity, reflecting the deepening ties and enduring goodwill between the two nations.