UK exec to meet with MILF, gov't peace negotiators next week

MANILA, Philippines - The Director General for Defense and Intelligence of the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will meet with the International Monitoring Team and members of the negotiating peace panels of the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) during his visit to the Philippines next week.

Robert Hannigan will arrive in Manila on Tuesday for a three-day visit.

He will meet with officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Cabinet officials, and members of Congress.

Hannigan will share his insights on the critical challenges legislators and government executives in Northern Ireland faced in relation to the security aspects of the peace process, and the enforcement of the peace agreement.

In the spirit of friendship and cooperation between Great Britain and the Philippines, the British embassy has since 2008 undertaken a number of activities to share the UK’s experiences of the peace process in Northern Ireland.

The British embassy is part of the International Contact Group for the peace process between the government and the MILF.

While recognizing the differences between the situation in Mindanao and Northern Ireland, the UK believes that there are some useful lessons from the Northern Ireland peace process that can provide useful insights for the southern Philippines.

Hannigan joined the FCO as Director General for Defense and Intelligence on March 29, 2010.

He leads the FCO’s role in managing strategic international security threats, including counterterrorism and counter-proliferation.

He also provides advice to the Foreign Secretary on intelligence matters, oversees UK policy towards the Americas and Caribbean, and governance of the UK’s Overseas Territories. He is a member of the FCO’s Board of Management.

Hannigan was the Prime Minister’s Security Adviser and Head of Intelligence, Security, and Resilience in the Cabinet Office from 2007.

He was responsible for the UK National Security Strategy, for advice to the Prime Minister on counterterrorism, intelligence and security policy, and for coordination and funding of the UK intelligence agencies. 

He was also responsible for crisis management and the Civil Contingencies Secretariat.

Until 2007 he was the principal adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair and various Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland on the peace process, with responsibility for negotiations with the political parties and other groups, and liaison with the Irish government and US administration.

Before taking up this post, Hannigan was the Director of Communications for the Northern Ireland Office.