23 March 2016 - A five-member team from Philippine Embassy in Ankara visited Baku, Azerbaijan to conduct its first mission in the country for 2016.
To strengthen cooperation between the Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, the Ankara Philippine Embassy (PE) Team met with Deputy Minister Khalaf Kalafov on March 18 to discuss the status of Philippines-Azerbaijan bilateral relations. Both parties expressed hope for the expansion of the bilateral relations of the Philippines and Azerbaijan through the continuous exchange of mutual visits and the conclusion of pending agreements in the political, economic and tourism sectors.
Ambassador Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez also took the opportunity to brief Deputy Minister Kalafov on the latest developments concerning the West Philippine Sea and the Philippines' position on the said issue. Ambassador Sanchez emphasized that the Philippines will always uphold the rule of law. Deputy Minister Kalafov, in turn, briefed the Ankara PE Team on Azerbaijan's perspective and position on the developments in its region.
On the same day, the Ankara PE Team met with the officials of the International Organization for Migration-Baku (IOM-Baku) to strengthen cooperation in assisting Filipinos in Azerbaijan who are victims of trafficking. Both groups discussed the modus operandi commonly used to traffic Filipino workers from third countries (such as the U.A.E.) to Azerbaijan and discussed how to effectively combat this mode of trafficking.
IOM officials also shared with Ankara PE Team its newest project in collaboration with Azerbaijan's System Migration Services which aims to assist foreign workers who wants to voluntary leave Azerbaijan. Under this project, the IOM will 1) facilitate the issuance of exit permit which will exempt foreign workers from payment of overstay penalty; 2) provide airport assistance to the migrants; and 3) provide reintegration opportunities (i.e. livelihood, etc).
The Ankara PE Team also conducted market research in popular super markets in Baku to identify possible Filipino products for exportation to Azerbaijan.
The following day, the Team provided consular services and consultation to more than 30 Filipinos in Azerbaijan. During the consular services, the Ankara PE Team processed twenty-three (23) e-passport applications, seven (7) notarials and authentications, and twenty-four (24) applications for Embassy ID registrations for Filipinos in Azerbaijan. Post also provided ATN and consular advice for three (3) clients. END
