Ambassador Jaime Victor B. Ledda delivers his remarks at the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung seminar for PhD scholarship holders

BRUSSELS 30 April 2025 – Ambassador Jaime Victor B. Ledda engaged doctoral studies scholars of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in an interactive discussion on Indo-Pacific security partnerships at the German foundation’s European Office in Brussels on 30 April 2025.

The group of scholarship holders who come from diverse backgrounds were visiting Brussels as part of a week-long program by the KAS Multinational Development Policy Dialogue focusing on European Union (EU) partnerships in the Indo-Pacific covering security, trade and climate.

In his remarks, Ambassador Ledda emphasized PH’s commitment to upholding the rules-based international order, international law and multilateralism as linchpins of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. He cited in particular PH’s efforts in the maritime space, including adherence to UNCLOS, the issuance of the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea, and close cooperation with like-minded stakeholders such as the EU on enhancing maritime security. Ambassador Ledda also underscored that PH intends to play the role of champion of the rule of law, bridge-builder and voice of the developing world when it secures a seat at the UN Security Council.

Citing the shared commitment to peace and security underwritten by the rules-based order, he further urged the EU to continue pursuing cooperation activities with Indo-Pacific nations, especially the members of ASEAN, across a comprehensive range of traditional and non-traditional security issues, to also include economic security, energy security, disaster risk reduction, health emergency preparedness and climate action, among others. He also stressed the importance of forging equal partnerships built on good faith and geared towards finding solutions and common ground among all parties, noting the EU’s ongoing free trade agreement negotiations with several nations in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines.

Together with co-panelist Ms. Lizza Bomassi, Indo-Pacific analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies, Ambassador Ledda later engaged in a lively question-and-answer with the scholarship holders, covering such matters as PH’s relations with the US, China and India, the upward trajectory of PH’s economy towards upper middle-income country status, and how the EU and Indo-Pacific nations can further build mutual trust and enhance means of cooperation. 

Ambassador Ledda fields questions from the scholarship holders on various topics covering diplomacy, security and economic relations among EU and Indo-Pacific States