The Ambassador of the European Union (EU) and the Ambassadors of the EU Member States in the Philippines paid an official visit to Baguio for the first time jointly to get acquainted with the city and to explore opportunities for further collaboration.
During their visit from January 27 to 29, the ambassadors met with local government officials led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong, civil society representatives, academe and the press.
They also visited EU funded-projects on green economy, justice coordination and children’s rights, as well as Baguio City’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) Command Center, Quezon Elementary Library HOB (Hooked on Books), and the Mansion House.
EU Ambassador Massimo Santoro acknowledged the strong commitment of the city government and partner institutions, and civil society organizations to good governance and to green inclusive growth.
The delegation led by Ambassador Santoro include the ambassadors from member states: Dr. Titanilla Tóth, Hungary; Michel Parys, Belgium; Raduta Dana Matache, Romania; Ioannis Pediotis, Greece; Dr. Johann Brieger, Austria; Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin, Denmark; Dr. Andreas Pfaffernoschke, Germany; Marie Fontanel, France; Ričardas Šlepavičius, Lithuania; Karel Hejč, Czechia; Davide Giglio, Italy; Emma Hickey, Ireland; Saija Nurminen, Finland; Nicholas Panayiotou, Cyprus; Ambassador-designate Anna Ferry, Sweden; Chargés d’affaires ad interim Anna Krzak-Danel, Poland; and Dragan Barbutovski, Slovenia.
The partnership between the EU and the Philippines is seen to have evolved and intensified during the last 60 years, from development cooperation and humanitarian aid, to a wide range of areas nowadays, including green economy, space, security, and education.
The EU-Philippines’ bilateral relationship is growing stronger under an all-encompassing Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation that the EU and the Philippines concluded in 2018. This agreement provides an enhanced legal framework, enabling both the EU and the Philippines to strengthen the bilateral relation on political, social, economic, and security matters, based on common interests but also shared principles and values, such as the common commitment to multilateralism and adherence to the international rule of law. This commitment has become all the more important in the context of the current geopolitical challenges.
