The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will welcome the Secretary of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The Right Honourable James Spencer Cleverly, MP, to the Philippines as he is set to arrive Tuesday, the Department announced.
According to the DFA, Secretary Enrique Manalo and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will meet to discuss Philippine-UK bilateral relations and exchange views on pressing regional issues.
“This follows their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta last July,” the announcement said.
In Jakarta, Cleverly announced funding of up to £25 million to support economic growth of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to reduce poverty in the region by bringing UK expertise in trade, regulation and financial services for the next five years.
“Later this month, the United Kingdom will begin its formal accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), further strengthening British trade and investment links in the region”, an official release said.
The British Foreign Secretary is also expected to call on other high-level officials of the government while in Manila.
The DFA added that this will be the first time since 2016 that a British Foreign Secretary will set foot in Manila and is very much anticipated to reaffirm PH-UK ties and demonstrate mutually strong cooperation between the two governments, in line with the PH-UK Enhanced Partnership which was launched in November 2021.
Last July, the Philippines and the United Kingdom celebrated its 77th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
