Phl, UK advance defense partnership

The Philippines and the United Kingdom have agreed to hold defense engagements focusing on the maritime domain, exclusive economic zone, and hydrography in the next five years.

This after the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to advance their existing bilateral military ties.

The MoU was signed on 11 January by Philippine Ambassador Teodoro Locsin Jr. for the Department of National Defense and UK Minister of State for Defence Timothy Minto.

The UK Embassy in Manila said the new cooperation pact is a “cornerstone of the two countries’ defense relationship.”

“It outlines the intent of our defense engagement for the next five years across a range of areas, including military exercises, training, and modernization efforts,” it noted.

“We can expect this engagement to focus on the maritime domain, exclusive economic zone, hydrograph, and UK participation in future military exercises,” the embassy added.

In October last year, UK Minister of State for Defence Baroness Goldie visited the Philippines and expressed the UK’s support for regional peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Goldie’s visit upheld the Philippines-UK’s efforts to further boost their defense relations anchored on their common position in maritime law and an open Indo-Pacific, including calling out illegal activities in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone by foreign nations.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines’ existing engagements with its counterparts in the UK were supported by the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation.

In August 2023, Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and former UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly signed a Joint Statement of Intent to further develop bilateral defense engagements to “uphold the rules-based international order.”

“The Joint Statement of Intent was a vote of confidence in the power of partnerships and the strengthening of ties between the UK and the Philippines, and can be found here: UK-Philippines partnership bolstered by Foreign Secretary visit,” the embassy noted.