MANILA, Philippines – Lumipad na si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., para sa working visit sa United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Nangako rin ito na may bitbit na “good news” pagbabalik ng Pilipinas.
“I am confident that upon my return, I will bring good news on the new heights of our friendship and collaboration with the UAE, as well as on the shared vision and strategy with our global partners on sustainability, for the benefit of the Filipino people,” ang sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos sa kanyang departure statement.
Umalis ang Pangulo ng 6:30 p.m., araw ng Lunes, ayon sa Malakanyang.
Dadalo ang Pangulo sa Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, sa imbitasyon na rin ni UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“I will join other Heads of State and Government in the discussions and collaborative efforts to advance global sustainability. The forum will endeavor to find solutions to the challenges of the present and of the future, to which a unified approach by the community of nations is required,” anito.
“The Philippines will actively participate in the dialogues to find answers to the complex and interconnected issues on energy, water, finance, food, and the environment, and expects to gain valuable insights from the views of other world leaders,” dagdag na wika ng Pangulo.
Aniya pa, mas isusulong ng Pilipinas ang layunin nito na bumuo ng pakikipagtulungan kasama ang bagong partners o katuwang na nagbahagi ng pananaw ng napapanatiling mundo.
Sa kanyang byahe, nakatakdang lagdaan ng Pangulo ang Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) o free trade agreement (FTA) sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at UAE; at ang memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation.
“The signing of these two agreements is a testament to the deep bilateral ties between our two countries, and more importantly, between Filipinos and Emiratis,” ayon kay Pangulong Marcos.
“The Philippines-UAE CEPA, our very first FTA with a country in the Middle East, will expand the market access of the Philippines in the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf Region,” ayon sa Pangulo.
“Meanwhile, the MOU on Defense Cooperation will serve as a strong platform for collaboration with the UAE for advanced defense technologies,” aniya pa rin.
Binigyang diin ng Pangulo na ang UAE ay tahanan ng 900,000 Filipino, halos populasyon ng mid-sized province sa Pilipinas.
“Thus, any mutually beneficial arrangement between the two nations will not only benefit Filipinos at home, but also Filipinos in the UAE,” aniya pa rin. (KRIS JOSE)
