DFA chief to meet with British Foreign Secretary in Manila over PH-UK ties

MANILA, Philippines — United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Spencer Cleverly will undertake an official visit to the Philippines on Tuesday.

Cleverly will meet with his Philippine counterpart, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manila, to discuss the bilateral relations between the Philippines and the UK.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said that during the one-day visit of Cleverly to Manila, the two are expected to exchange views on pressing regional issue and reaffirm the ties between the two governments. This is in line with the Philippines and UK’s Enhanced Partnership launched in November 2021.

The British foreign minister will also be calling on other high-level officials of the Philippine government.

The Manila meeting comes after their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Ministerial meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia last month.

During his visit to Jakarta, Cleverly announced the funding of up to £25 million to support economic growth of ASEAN members. The grant seeks to reduce poverty in the region by bringing UK expertise in trade, regulation and financial services for the next five years.

Cleverly last month said that the UK and ASEAN “are working together to deliver the Plan of Action 2022 to 2026 to improve lives across the region, such as ensuring girls across southeast Asia can access quality education.”

Meanwhile, this will be the first time since 2016 that a British foreign secretary will be setting foot in Manila.

The Philippines and UK just celebrated the 77th anniversary of their diplomatic relations last July 4, according to DFA. — Rosette Adel