Security and defense cooperation [fr]

Security and defense cooperation

The Philippines is an important defense partner for France in the Indo-Pacific region.

Our cooperation aims to nurture strategic-level exchanges, develop our military cooperation and support the Philippine armed forces in their modernization drive.

The bilateral defense relationship between our two countries is governed by an agreement signed in 2016. It is regularly expanded and developed through the signing of additional agreements, reciprocal participation in military exercises and exchanges, periodic high-level meetings and visits by political and military authorities.

French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu visited the Philippines on December 2, 2023 to meet his Philippine counterpart. On this occasion, the two ministers signed a letter of intent reaffirming their shared desire to support and continually develop defense exchanges and interactions between our two countries.

At the French Embassy, defense cooperation is supported by the Defense Mission, which officially opened with the arrival of a resident defense attaché in Manila on Monday June 17, 2024.