(AseanAll) — On January 13,2026, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro met with the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Saeed Bin Mubarak Al-Hajeri, a day before the opening of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2026 Summit.
During the meeting, both Secretary Lazaro and Minister Al-Hajeri discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations between the Philippines and UAE, through engagements in various areas of cooperation and regular conduct of bilateral consultations.
Lazaro also welcomed the imminent signing of the PH-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation. Once signed, the CEPA will be the first free trade agreement by the Philippines with a country in the Middle East, and is envisioned to expand the market access between the Philippines and UAE, and open vast trade and investment options and opportunities for both countries. The MOU on Defense Cooperation, on the other hand, is aimed to strengthen defense and military relations, through education and training, intelligence and security sharing, among others.
During the meeting, Lazaro thanked UAE for hosting close to one million Filipinos working and residing in the country. She likewise thanked the UAE government for the executive clemency extended to 403 Filipinos on various occasions from 2024 to 2025.
Before the bilateral meeting, Lazaro was at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), also in Abu Dhabi, and gave a lecture to the diplomatic corps in UAE, various UAE officials, members of academe, and students. She discussed ASEAN’s evolution as model of regional integration underpinned by the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and the ASEAN Charter. She highlighted the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship in 2026, including the thematic priorities of the country’s leadership and the UAE’s vital role as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner.
Lazaro is part of the Philippine delegation, led by PH President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., who is in the UAE for a working visit, upon the invitation of the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The said visit is aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations between both countries in trade, defense, and sustainable development, among others.
