The visit of the Philippines’ Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo to Argentina marks a significant milestone in the celebration of 75 years of diplomatic relations.
Seventy-five have passed since the diplomatic relations between our countries were established in 1948, shortly after the Philippines gained independence. As Argentines, we are proud that this milestone took place under the ambassadorship of former president Fidel Ramos’ father, Narciso Ramos, who did a remarkable job representing the Philippines by establishing diplomatic relations across all of Latin America.
Over the years, our nations have maintained friendly and cooperative ties, fostering mutual understanding, trade, and cultural exchanges. Trade between our countries has been growing during the last years in tandem with the post-pandemic recovery and high growth rates of the Philippine economy. Argentina is the third largest economy in Latin America, holding a significant place in international commerce, with great potential for trade and investment as a result of its abundant natural resources, renowned human capital, and dynamic industrial clusters, such as the world-leading agrifood sector. As a result, exploring opportunities for increased trade and investment is a crucial aspect of bilateral trade relations.
In recent months, our embassy has served as a bridge for a growing number of Argentine businesspeople interested in establishing or increasing their presence in the Philippine market in a wide range of sectors, including pharma, software, wine, beef, creative industries, as well as other knowledge-based industries. These efforts are added to a wide variety of initiatives carried out by the Argentine Embassy in Manila in other areas of bilateral cooperation, evidencing the growing interest of our countries in strengthening their mutual understanding. In this framework, our embassy will be present at the International Bazaar organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs, where Argentine wine and other typical products will be showcased.
Manalo’s trip marked the culmination of a series of bilateral visits that took place in recent months, such as the visit of Ambassador Claudio Rozencwaig, Argentina’s undersecretary of foreign affairs to Manila, as well as the recent visit of the Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. to Argentina.
Coinciding with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, our countries signed this year a cooperation agreement for the peaceful use of outer space through the Philippine Space Agency and the National Commission on Space Activities from Argentina. The agreement covers areas of cooperation as diverse as earth observation from space, the use of satellite information for studies on the environment, natural resources, emergency management, satellite systems development, ground infrastructure for space systems, and space education and training, among others.
In terms of energy, the future is bright. Energy cooperation holds immense potential for both Argentina and the Philippines. Argentina, known for its expertise in the nuclear energy sector, can offer valuable insights and technological advancements to the Philippines, which is currently looking to reinvigorate its nuclear energy sector. Experts from both nations are currently engaged in in-depth cooperation in this field.
When it comes to public health and natural disaster management, our countries share experiences and expertise in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, which enhance the resilience of both nations. In addition to the work already done, our nations can benefit significantly by increasing collaborative efforts in disaster risk reduction, early warning systems, and capacity building.
As both Argentina and the Philippines share a commitment to upholding human rights and promoting social development, inclusion, and gender equality, we believe that it is important to strengthen cooperation in knowledge exchange on legal frameworks, policies, and practices that protect and promote human rights. Argentina’s experience in transitional justice and human rights advocacy can provide valuable insights and best practices. We are currently working on engaging Argentine experts to foster the relationship on this subject, in the framework of the United Nations Joint Programme in the Philippines.
After these 75 years of diplomatic relations and thanks to the recent efforts carried out by both countries, the bond between Argentina and the Philippines has gained momentum. It is our duty to make the most of this revitalization. We share a common ground and a long-term vision of strengthening cooperation in various sectors. By capitalizing on our respective strengths and fostering collaboration, both nations can forge a stronger partnership that benefits our citizens and contributes to regional and global development.
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Ricardo Luis Bocalandro is Argentina’s ambassador to the Philippines.