07 March 2016 - The Philippines and Switzerland successfully concluded their seventh political consultations on March 03, in Berne, Switzerland, vowing to pursue closer and more intense cooperation in bilateral and multilateral areas.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Policy Evan P. Garcia headed the PH delegation, together with Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Maria Cleofe Natividad and representatives from the DFA-Office of European Affairs, Office of the Undersecretary for Policy, DTI, DOLE, and MARINA, in a robust exchange of views with Assistant Secretary for Asia-Pacific at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Johannes Matyassy.
The two sides noted various political and economic developments in their respective countries and vowed to undertake enhanced cooperation in light of the forthcoming commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2017.
They also discussed various developments in ASEAN, including, inter alia, the Swiss bid to become an ASEAN sectoral dialogue partner, as well as opportunities to boost bilateral trade and investments, particularly through the PH-EFTA Free Trade Agreement, which, is envisioned to provide further mutually beneficial market access to PH and EFTA goods, and the 2nd Session of the PH-Switzerland Joint Economic Commission, which will take place in April 2016. Collectively, EFTA member countries have some of the highest GDP per capita worldwide. Meanwhile there are an estimated 60 Swiss companies operating in the PH employing an estimated 12,000 people, including Nestle, which has been present in the country since 1911.
The Philippines also thanked Switzerland for its assistance in the Mindanao Peace Process, particularly its chairmanship of the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission.
The two sides discussed the security situation in their respective regions, the need to strengthen international law, peaceful resolution of conflicts and freedom of navigation. Switzerland welcomed the updates provided by the Philippines concerning the South China Sea, particularly the Philippines’ initiation of an open and inclusive arbitration process that seeks to clarify maritime entitlements in the area. While Switzerland does not take a position on various sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, it made its position clear that there should be peaceful and rules-based resolution in accordance with the international law, including the UN Charter and UNCLOS.
The two sides also signed the Memorandum of Agreement on the Recognition of Certificates under the Terms of the 1978 STCW Convention. Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland Joselito A. Jimeno signed the agreement for the Philippines, while Deputy State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Georges Martin signed for Switzerland.
Philippines-Switzerland relations were established in 1862, when the latter founded its first Asian consulate in Manila. In 2014, bilateral trade stood at an estimated USD 557 million. END