The Philippines and Palestine have established a political consultation mechanism as they agree to forge a “robust and practical cooperation” in a number of areas.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and visiting Palestine Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin signed on Tuesday the memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishing the mechanism.

Lazaro said the deal will allow the two states to identify areas of cooperation and promote common interests.

“The future of Philippines-Palestine relations is bright and promising. I look forward to a stronger and more dynamic cooperation between our two countries, under the shared vision of peace, stability, and prosperity,” she said in a joint presser in Pasay City.

The inaugural meeting under the mechanism is scheduled for 2026.

Palestine dev’t

In a bilateral meeting on the same day, Lazaro said the Philippines is ready to provide technical and capacity-building assistance to Palestine and contribute to its development agenda.

The proposed projects, she said, would be implemented under the auspices of the Technical Cooperation Council of the Philippines (TCCP), which the DFA chairs.

The TCCP has the mandate of promoting South-South cooperation between the Philippines and other developing countries.

Meanwhile, Lazaro affirmed Manila’s support for the “two-state solution” between Palestine and Israel, saying this is the “only viable path towards peace and stability in the Middle East.”

“The establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state and respect for its inalienable right to self-determination is imperative to the achievement of a long-lasting and genuine peace in the region,” she said.

This is the first visit of a Palestinian foreign minister to the Philippines since the formal establishment of the two states’ bilateral relations on Sept. 4, 1989.

Lazaro said the high-level visit reflects the two nations’ growing partnership and mutual commitment to further strengthen cooperation. (PNA)