President’s Hall, Malacañan Palace
August 29, 2023

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. received Secretary James Cleverly (Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) in a courtesy call at the President’s Hall in Malacañan Palace.

During the call, the British Foreign Secretary shared to the President his meeting with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo where both of them compared notes on their respective countries’ various positions, highlighting the UK and the Philippines’ similar approach to world affairs. He also expressed the UK’s immense gratitude to the Philippines for the partnership, specifically recalling the Filipino-British nurse who administered the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine outside of clinical trials.

Noting that the Philippines is a good friend of the UK, Secretary Cleverly conveyed that he sees a lot of opportunities to build on the relationship with the country. He discussed the UK’s plans for renewable energy and its willingness to work with the Philippines on this end, such as in offshore wind energy, as well as other measures to further strengthen the two nations’ collaboration on key areas including climate change, trade and maritime security, among others.

Secretary Cleverly also met with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) where they touched on maritime security, counterterrorism and environmental protection, reiterating the British government’s gratitude to the Philippines for its consistent support to the United Nations (UN) Charter in upholding the rule of law in the interest of global stability.

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