Departure Statement of Hon. Enrique A. Manalo, Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines on his Official Travel to Attend the 28th Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

MANILA 06 MAY 2025 - I am leaving today for St. Kitts and Nevis to attend the 28th Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on 08-09 May 2025.

It is an honor for me to be the first Philippine Foreign Secretary to attend this conference. This milestone engagement with the CARICOM Foreign Ministers is in keeping with Philippines’ foreign policy thrust of expanding diplomatic engagements beyond our traditional partners.

The Philippines and the members of CARICOM share contemporary challenges and common aspirations for the future, and have engaged actively in advancing global action on climate justice, oceans governance, disaster resilience, biodiversity and sustainable development.

My visit coincides with milestones in the ties between the Philippines and a number of CARICOM members.

This year, we commemorate 25 years of bilateral relations with Trinidad and Tobago (18 April), Belize (04 May), Saint Kitts and Nevis (11 August) and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (11 October).

Moreover, in 2026, the Philippines will mark the 80th anniversary of bilateral relations with Haiti, 75th with Jamaica, 45th with the Bahamas, and 10th with St Lucia.

Furthermore, I look forward to establishing formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Grenada, through the signing of a Joint Communique with Grenadian Foreign Minister Joseph Andall on 08 May 2025. END