GOVPH

ASEAN BRUSSELS COMMITTEE AND GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL AMBASSADORS HAVE FRUITFUL EXCHANGE

On 18 February 2025, the ASEAN Brussels Committee (ABC) held a working lunch for Ambassadors of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), hosted by H.E. Soe Lynn Han, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

The ABC and GCC Ambassadors affirmed the strong and dynamic relations between the two regions, highlighting the flourishing economic cooperation and deep history of people-to-people ties. The two sides recalled the historic meeting of leaders at the first ASEAN-GCC Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in October 2023, resulting in the Framework of Cooperation covering 2024 to 2028.

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AMBASSADOR LEDDA HIGHLIGHTS ASEAN’S PROGRESS ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT FORUM ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

Ambassador Jaime Victor B. Ledda joined other high-level panelists in a forum on disaster preparedness held at the European Parliament in Brussels on 18 February 2025.

The forum was organized by the EU Commissioner for Equality; Preparedness and Crisis Management Ms. Hadja Lahbib, along with Members of European Parliament (MEPs) Barry Andrews, Wouter Beke, Gregory Allione and Pascal Arimont. The panel also featured Special Representative Mr. Kamal Kishore of the Office of the UN Undersecretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction (UN DRR) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Chief of Staff Mr. Christopher Rassi.

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AMBASSADOR LEDDA CALLS ON BELGIAN DIRECTOR-GENERAL FOR BILATERAL AFFAIRS BIRGIT STEVENS

H.E. Ambassador Jaime Victor B. Ledda and H.E. Birgit Stevens, Director-General for Bilateral Affairs of the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, discuss Philippines-Belgium bilateral relations on 18 February 2025.

18 February 2025 - H.E. Ambassador Jaime Victor B. Ledda paid a courtesy call on H.E. Birgit Stevens, the recently-appointed Director-General for Bilateral Affairs of the Belgian Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, as part of the Philippine Embassy’s efforts to sustain the flourishing bilateral ties between the Philippines and Belgium

Ambassador Ledda and Director-General Stevens both affirmed the varied areas of cooperation where the Philippines and Belgium can work together, including, among others, on increasing trade and investment activities, especially in the pharmaceutical, renewable energy, and semiconductor industries, space cooperation, maritime cooperation, migration issues, and cultural promotion activities. They also exchanged views on issues of concern, such as the situation in the South China Sea, where both emphasized the Philippines’ and Belgium’s steadfast commitment to international law and the rules-based international order.

Both Ambassador Ledda and Director-General Stevens also looked forward to continued progress in the areas under the Philippines–Belgium Joint Plan of Action 2023-2027 and undertook to work together closely in the lead up to the 80th anniversary of the establishment of Philippines–Belgium diplomatic relations in 2026.