MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said the Philippines and French governments agreed to strengthen cooperation against terrorism.
The government is currently striving to rebuild Marawi City, which suffered damages after an almost five-month long fight with Islamic State-inspired terror groups.
France is no stranger to acts of terrorism. Over the past few years, France was among Western countries to suffer from terror attacks.
In July 2016, at least 84 people were killed, including children, after a cargo truck slammed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France.
According to the DFA, the consultations held last week came after the adoption of the Joint Declaration on the Enhanced Partnership between the two states in 2015.
Cited as “historic,” the DFA noted it was also in line with the two countries’ celebration of 70 years of diplomatic relations.
Aside from cooperation to counter terrorism, the consultations also featured agreement to increase economic engagement through implementation of agreed programs and projects in the crucial sectors of agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, science and technology, digital economy and creative industry, among others.
A review of initiatives to increase people-to-people exchanges was likewise undertaken.
Further, they acknowledged that agreements on social security and cultural cooperation need to be reinvigorated.
The Philippine delegation, led by DFA Undersecretary for Policy Enrique Manalo, was comprised of officials from DFA and other government agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of National Defense, Department of Trade and Industry, and National Economic and Development Authority.
The French delegation, on the other hand, was led by Director Thierry Mathou of the Directorate for Asia and Oceania of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Mathou was the French Ambassador to the Philippines from November 2015 – July 2017. (Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA)
