The Republic of the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates commemorate its 48 years of diplomatic relations today, August 19.
Over the past 45 years, the friendly relationship between the two countries has been keeping on a healthy and stable development, rendering each other support and solidarity.
UAE Ambassador to the Philippines Mohamed Obaid Alqataam Alzaabi said Abu Dhabi said in a statement on Thursday that they are eager to strengthen the two nations’ bilateral ties in “all fields”.
“This month marks the 48th anniversary of diptomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of the Philippines. ln less than five decades, bilateral relations have reached new heights at various levels, as our two countries have strengthened political collaboration, and trade and investment have grown significantly in recent years,” said Ambassador Alzaabi.
One of the summits of our bilateral relations, according to the Philippine Consulate in Dubai, was the participation of the Philippines in the historic Expo 2020 Dubai where the country showcased its very own Bangkota pavilion.
This year, the two friendly countries also signed two high-level agreements, namely, the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding on Agriculture Cooperation.
The MOU is expected to set directions for engagement in soil science and management, biotechnology, post-harvest, agriculture research and development, agri-innovation, protected agriculture technology, and irrigation and water resources, among others.
Read: UAE donates 50 RT-PCR machines with testing kits to Philippines
Economic Relations | Trade
PH-UAE total trade
US$ 1,520,450,000 billion
UAE ranks as PH’s 16th trading partner
Philippine exports to the UAE
US$ 321,790,000 million
UAE ranks as PH’s 20th export market
Philippine imports from the UAE
US$ 1,198,660,000 billion
UAE ranks as PH’s 15th import supplier
(Source: Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Dubai)
As of December 2019
Top 5 exports to UAE:
Input or output units, whether or not containing storage units in the same housing
Cathodes and sections of cathodes, of refined copper
Bananas, including plantains, fresh or dried
Static converters (e.g. rectifiers)
Storage units
Top 5 imports from UAE:
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude
Light petroleum oils and preparations thereof
Propane, liquefied
Butanes, liquefied
H section of iron on non-alloy steel, not further worked than hot-rolled, hot-drawn or extruded, of a height 80mm or more
(Source: Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Dubai)
As of December 2019
On Wednesday, UAE Ambassador H.E Hjayceelyn M. Quintana and top-level executives of the Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) visited major shipyards in Subic and Cebu, Philippines. According to the Philippines Embassy in UAE, they see a huge potential for cooperation in the field of ship building.
Ambassador Quintana said that the Embassy-organized visit to Subic and Cebu is part of the Embassy’s efforts to further expand Philippines-UAE relations as both countries mark 48th-year anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.
In her message on Friday, August 19, H.E. Ambassador Hjayceelyn M. Quintana, Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates expressed her optimism on the expansion of the mutual relations between the Philippines and UAE.
“In June this year, I signed the Philippines-UAE MOU on Agriculture at the MCCE in Dubai, and witnessed the signing of the Philippines-UAE Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA). On defense cooperation, I accompanied last week a group of executives from a UAE defense company in visiting major shipyards in Subic and Cebu, and the Embassy looks forward to the signing of an MOU on Defense cooperation, which is now in the finalization stage,” said Ambassador Quintana.
Read her Full Message below:
