France has reaffirmed its strong commitment to a strategic partnership with the Philippines grounded in freedom, equality, democracy, and the rule of law.
During the French National Day reception on Sunday evening, French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel emphasized the shared values and independent foreign policies of both nations.
She highlighted the importance of fostering robust security and economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Our partnership is also growing stronger, and I would like to highlight the negotiation of our financial cooperation agreement, that I signed with Secretary Recto on June 7. Let me also mention, as an EU Member State, my satisfaction that the negotiation on a free trade agreement between the European Union and the Philippines has resumed this year,” Fontanel said.
She maintained that defense and security are top priorities for stronger cooperation with the Philippines, recounted the historic visit of the first French Minister of Armed Forces on December, and highlighted the potential for increased operational interactions to foster a more strategic partnership.
“Defense and security was obviously the number one of my priorities. It was a new political orientation to draw a more strategic partnership,” Fontanel said.
“Since then, I think we already saw more frequent operational interactions: our 1st participation in 2024 Balikatan exercise, the port call of the French destroyer la Bretagne and in a few days the Pegase deployment of the French Air Force will stop over in Clark for the very first time. Another illustration is of course the opening of our resident defense mission in Manila last June,” she added.
Fontanel also focused on the strong ongoing cooperation on maritime issues.
She highlighted that both France and the Philippines, as maritime nations, “face similar challenges regarding ocean pollution, maritime security, illegal fishing, and the blue economy.”
The ambassador underscored their joint efforts in preparing for the next UN Ocean Conference, to be held in Nice in June 2025, and the launch of the “Blue Nations Initiative: France and the Philippines, Partners for the Oceans.”
