President Marcos thanked outgoing ambassadors of Sweden and Papua New Guinea for bringing the relationship between the Philippines and their countries closer.
During the farewell call of Swedish Ambassador Annika Thunborg, Marcos also expressed gratitude to Sweden for showing its support to the Philippines on the challenges it is facing.
“Thank you very much for all that you have done — bringing our two countries closer together,” Marcos told Thunborg during the farewell call on Tuesday, August 6,
“I have to once again express our gratitude for the support that you’ve shown to the Philippines in terms of the problems, challenges that we are facing here,” Marcos added.
The President further said that it is very important to the Philippines " the alliance, the coalition we are trying to form with our friends around the world."
Thunborg stressed the importance of forging partnerships with like-minded countries amid regional and global situations.
"It is extremely important in the world that we lived today to forge strong partnerships with like-minded partners," Thunborg said, adding that the two countries' partnership grew especially in the last two years.
She also recognized the Philippines for upholding the international rule of law and the international rules-based system.
"We stand firmly behind that both of our countries are latched to the international rule of law and the international rules-based system, and we are very grateful for the support that the Philippines has shown Ukraine in the situation that we see today," Thunborg said.
In a separate farewell call, Marcos also expressed his gratitude to Papua New Guinea Ambassador Betty Palaso for her work in strengthening the bilateral relations of the Philippines and Papua New Guinea.
“This is one of those duties that are bittersweet because we say goodbye to friends. You have stayed in the Philippines in relatively long [period] ambassador, five years,” Marcos told Palaso during the Palace call.
The President said he expects Palaso’s successor to continue working on various areas of cooperation, particularly on trade, agriculture, and fisheries.
Palaso presented her Letter of Credence on March 19, 2019, as Papua New Guinea's ambassador to Manila. Prior to her appointment, Palaso served as Commissioner General of the PNG Internal Revenue Commission from 2007 to 2018.
Thunborg, on the other hand, presented her Letter of Credence as Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Philippines in October 2021. Prior to her appointment, Thunborg was previously assigned to Mexico and the Swedish Permanent Mission of Sweden to the International Organizations in Geneva.
Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Sweden were established on January 17, 1947.
In 1975, the Philippines was among the first countries to establish formal diplomatic relations with Papua New Guinea, which was declared and recognized as a sovereign nation on September 16, 1975, after 70 years of Australian administration.
The two nations will mark next year the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations.