The Philippines and France have committed to diversify their cooperation in the fields of defense and security, the Department of National Defense (DND) said Friday, Nov. 11.
The consensus was reached during the third iteration of the Joint Defense Cooperation Committee (JDCC) Meeting held in Manila from Nov. 8 to 9 in line with the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relations of the Philippines and France.
“The JDCC meeting entailed discussions on various matters of common interest between the two countries. Among the highlights of the meeting was both sides' mutual commitment to further strengthen and diversify defense and security cooperation as partners in the Indo-Pacific region,” DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said.
During the meeting, Andolong said both sides agreed to “sustain working- to high-level interactions, education and training cooperation, and various maritime-related exchanges, as well as explore cooperation on environmental security.”
The Philippine delegation to the JDCC was headed by DND Asst. Sec. for Strategic Assessments and International Affairs Henry A. Robinson, Jr. while the French delegation was led by Capt. Guillaume Arnoux, Director for Asia Pacific and Latin America, Directorate General for International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS), French Ministry of Armed Forces (MINARM).
The French delegation also paid a courtesy visit at the DND Office in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City along with French Ambassador to the Philippines Michèle Boccoz. The foreign delegates expressed interest in participating in the third horizon of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program and the DND’s Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Program.
Horizon 3 and SRDP are among the major thrusts of the DND, of which the former will officially start in 2023 as the AFP focuses on acquiring sophisticated assets such as multi-role air assets and ships, while the latter attempts to build the country’s defense manufacturing capabilities through the institutionalization of in-country production, transfer of technology, and other innovative arrangements.
Army chief fosters ties with ASEAN counterparts
In Vietnam, Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. attended the 23rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chiefs of Army Multilateral Meeting (ACAMM) last Thursday where he solidified his relations with his foreign counterparts through regional convergence.
The ACAMM was hosted by the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) in Hanoi.
The Chiefs of Army were welcomed by Senior Lt. Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of General Staff, VPA and Deputy Minister of Defense. The annual meeting was composed of Army leaders from ASEAN countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
With the theme “ASEAN Armies cohesively collaborate for peace”, Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Nghia, Deputy Chief of General Staff, VPA and Chair of ACAMM 2022, presided the meeting with other representatives of the Armies who shared their best practices to further promote regional cooperation.
The 24th ACAMM will be hosted by the Royal Thai Army in 2023.
US Marine eyes better accord with PH Navy
Meanwhile, the United States Marine Corps is looking forward to further enhance its cooperation with the Philippine Navy (PN).
Lt. Gen. William Jurney, commander of US Marine Corps Forces Pacific, visited the PN Headquarters in Manila on Friday to discuss the strengthening of the relationship between the two forces.
During his visit, Jurney also recognized American and Filipino war veterans in time for the commemoration of the Veterans Day.
A wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City which was attended by Jurney, AFP Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, and Secretary Charles Djou, of the American Battle Monuments Commission.