On Wednesday, May 14, the Philippines and Germany agreed to enhance defense cooperation between the two countries. In Berlin, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and German Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius signed a defense deal to build on the 1974 Administrative Agreement concerning Training of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel in Germany.
On Thursday, May 15, DND Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong said, “The signing came after the visit of Pistorius to the Philippines in August 2024, wherein Teodoro and Pistorius agreed to pursue an overarching framework to advance bilateral defense partnership, pursuant to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive on strengthening the country’s international ties.”
Andolong added that the two countries’ defense ministers will convene the 3rd Philippines-Germany Security and Defense Staff Talks “to review and concretize proposed joint activities and initiatives to be implemented under the said arrangement in the coming year.”
The renewed defense deal comes as the Philippines continues to rally support in its disputes with China over the West Philippine Sea.
Teodoro also attended the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting in Berlin held from May 13 to May 14, representing the Philippines as a founding member country and troop contributor to the UN.
The Philippines is currently making a bid for a seat in the UN Security Council for the 2027 to 2028 term. The council has 15 members, of which five are permanent. The Security Council’s permanent members are the U.S., U.K., Russia, France, and China.
