Manila, June 7 (AseanAll)  — Philippine Secretary of National Defense (SND) Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. welcomed Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson to Manila, marking the first time that a Swedish Defence Minister visited the Philippines.

Minister Jonson’s visit coincides with the National Day of Sweden on June 6, 2024, which Secretary Teodoro considered as a clear manifestation of the budding relations between the Philippines and Sweden. The SND further highlighted the common values and shared recognition for the rules-based international order of the two countries, and welcomed more opportunities in strengthening defense cooperation with Sweden.

Both Ministers underscored that the security of the Indo-Pacific and North Atlantic are interlinked, which necessitates a deeper understanding of each other’s regional concerns amid shifts in the geopolitical architecture. Minister Jonson also shared Sweden’s increasing interest in deepening its engagement and understanding of the Indo-Pacific region through cooperation with like-minded nations such as the Philippines. 

To reciprocate arrangements made by the Philippines, Jonson extended an invitation for Teodoro to pay an official visit to Sweden on a mutually convenient date. 

In June 2023, the Philippines and Sweden concluded the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Cooperation in the Acquisition of Defense Material (MOU ADM) on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The framework paved the way in advancing cooperation in the areas of logistics, technology research and development, defense industry development, and exchange of related information. 

Aside from logistics cooperation, both ministries explore exchanges on a broad range of mutual interests, such as defense education and capacity building, maritime security, rule of law, climate change adaptation, gender and security, total defense, cyber, and responsible use of emerging and disruptive technologies (EDTs), among others.