Visit of Minister of State Chrysoula Zacharopoulou to the Philippines (July 30 – August 1, 2023) [fr]
French Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships Chrysoula Zacharopolou visited the Philippines from July 30 to August 1, 2023.
The Minister of State’s visit to the Philippines follows the historic visit of President Emmanuel Macron in the Pacific region – in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, then Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.
In Manila, Minister Zacharopoulou met with Philippine government officials, including Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Carlos Sorreta.
In her meeting with Secretary Diokno, Minister Zacharopoulou discussed the French government’s wish to increase cooperation, through the French Development Agency (AFD) and the private sector, on several fronts, including climate and development finance, climate response, children’s nutrition, infrastructure, transport, renewable energy, and investments in the green and blue economy.
At the Department of Health, Secretary Herbosa thanked the French delegation for their aid in the country’s COVID-19 response. Under the COVAX platform in 2021, co-chaired by Minister Zacharopoulou, France gave a total of over 6 million vaccine doses to the Philippines.
Minister Zacharopolou and Undersecretary Sorreta also tackled cooperation on sovereignty and food security, noting that France had dispatched two delegations of agriculture experts in December last year and March this year.
Along with Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga, Minister Zacharopoulou inaugurated the The Plastic Flamingo plastics recycling plant in Muntinlupa City, which is founded by French nationals. This constitutes the concrete proof of France’s commitment to combating climate change and a key priority for cooperation between France and the Philippines.
“This project shows the strength of cooperation involving civil society, the private sector, and local authorities, particularly to eliminate plastic pollution, a fight that must mobilize all of us,” Minister Zacharopoulou said.
The Minister of State also participated in the high-level business forum between the European Union and the Philippines, where she met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was also on a visit to the country.
“With the President of the European Commission, Mrs. Von der Leyen, we discussed ways the Philippines, the EU and France can do more together for sustainable development, in particular through the Global Gateway Strategy, as well as trade and investment,” she added.