14 April 2014 - A delegation composed of Foreign Affairs and Defense officials from the Philippines participated in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Defense Officials Dialogue (DOD) and the Inter-sessional Support Group Meeting on Confidence Building Measures and Preventive Diplomacy (ARF ISG-CBMs and PD), which was held in Brussels from April 8 to 9. 

Currently co-chaired by the European Union and Myanmar, the DOD and ISG-CBMs and PD convene twice during every inter-sessional year to discuss regional security issues and outline a plan of action for regional cooperation in such fields as maritime security, counter-terrorism, nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, cyber-security and disaster risk reduction.

During the DOD, the Philippines delivered a briefing on lessons learned and best practices in disaster relief and recovery, focusing on Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

At the plenary of the ISG-CBMs and PD, the Philippines spoke about its strategic interests, highlighting the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and efforts to find a peaceful, durable and rules-based solution to the conflicting claims in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea.  The Philippines also announced its decision to co-chair the Forum’s Inter-sessional Meeting on Maritime Security.

This is the second meeting of the ISG on CBMs and PD under the co-chairmanship of the European Union and Myanmar.

The ARF, the only political-security forum of its kind in Asia, brings together all 10 ASEAN Member States and 17 partners, including the United States, Japan, China, the European Union, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Russia and New Zealand. END