SECRETARY Teodoro Locsin Jr., Secretary Ramon Lopez, Senator [Ana Theresia] Hontiveros, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III; ladies and gentlemen: Good evening, bonsoir à tous, magandang gabi sa inyong lahat!
It is really my great pleasure to be among you all today, as we commemorate the French National Day, which we call “14 Juillet,” or Bastille Day.
Today in particular is an occasion to reflect on and uphold the democratic values of liberté, égalité, and fraternité which shaped [the French] nation, and which are also timeless and universal values that we share with the Philippines. While these values have guided France’s actions domestically and internationally, the…pandemic has put at the forefront another important value which I wish to emphasize today: This is solidarity.
The only way for us to truly overcome this global health crisis is to ensure that no country is left behind. This is why France, together with its EU partners, has been supporting international mechanisms such as the ACT-A [or Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator] and the COVAX Facility to ensure that all countries have access to the essential tools—especially vaccines—to combat the spread of the [coronavirus disease 2019]. We are pleased that the Philippines is benefitting from these mechanisms in order to speed up its national vaccination program.
The solidarity between France and the Philippines has paved the way for greater collaboration, especially in recent years. In fact, we have a very exciting year ahead of us as we prepare for the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries; that would be next year, 2022.
Our work has already begun. [On] July 2 Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and our Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness Franck Riester cochaired the ninth Joint Economic Committee meeting, which resulted in economic discussions and commitments covering a broad range of sectors such as transport, maritime cooperation, and agriculture.
France is also glad to count the Philippines as a partner in addressing global challenges, such as the fight against climate change. The climate crisis requires urgent and concrete multilateral action to lessen greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to preserve the planet’s biodiversity. I take this occasion to reiterate France’s readiness to support the Philippines in building a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future through projects in green transport, clean energy, and sustainability.
Another area of importance to both France and the Philippines is regional security. France fully supports a free and open Indo-Pacific founded on a stable, law-based, and multipolar order. As a permanent member and current president of the United Nations Security Council, France will do its part to ensure that international law, particularly the UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea], and the sovereignty of its regional partners, are respected.
France and the Philippines also share a historic attachment to the defense of human rights. Just a few weeks ago the French government was honored to have hosted the closing session of the Generation Equality Forum, which served as a venue for all stakeholders to come together and put forward swift, concrete and intergenerational actions in order to achieve true gender equality by 2030. We hope to maintain our constant and constructive dialogue with the Philippines, particularly also including civil society, to ensure that human rights are upheld and respected.
It is also important to recognize the role of culture and education in bringing our two peoples closer together. Cultural and educational cooperation are an important part of our work in the Philippines. And we look forward to once again be able to organize with our Filipino partners some of our most popular events:…the French Film Festival, the Fête de la Musique, and the monthly Cultural Thursdays.
Clearly, we have a full agenda in the coming months beyond the areas of cooperation which I just mentioned…. As we prepare for the 75th anniversary of French-Philippine diplomatic relations on June 26, 2022, I would like to invite you all to share any initiative or idea you may have which can contribute to the richness and the diversity of the ties between our two countries. In the coming months, we are ready to bring the friendship and solidarity between France and the Philippines to new heights for the mutual benefit of our peoples.
Thank you, maraming salamat, merci beaucoup, and I wish you all a pleasant evening. Vive la France et vive les Philippines!