The Philippines will participate in the upcoming Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)-G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting in Liverpool, United Kingdom to discuss regional and global issues, including the vaccine equity and global health security agendas.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. will attend the meeting that will be held on Sunday, Dec. 12, upon the invitation of United Kingdom, the host country.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement Friday, Dec. 10, that Locsin is expected to exchange views with ASEAN and G7 Foreign Ministers on matters related to vaccine and global health security, infrastructure, technology, gender equality, shared security, and other regional and global issues of common concern.
This is the first engagement between ASEAN and the G7 at the foreign ministers’ level, the department added.
ASEAN, together with Australia, India, and the Republic of Korea, have been invited as guests at the G7’s meeting in Liverpool.
The United Kingdom, which is the host of the meeting as well as the president of the G7 this year, became ASEAN’s 11th Dialogue Partner this year.
The Group of 7 or G7 is composed of the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, and Italy. The EU usually attends high-level meetings of the G7, including summits.