MANILA, Philippines — Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot arrived in Manila on Tuesday for a three-day visit to further enhance ties between Belgium and the Philippines.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Prévot’s visit comes after 33 years since the last visit of a Belgian foreign minister.
The Philippines and Belgium celebrate this year the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and Prévot proposed a new cooperation in trade and investment, creative industries, science and technology, maritime, labor mobility, information and communications technology, and people to people exchanges.
The DFA said they also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual concern, including the Philippines’ 2026 chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and developments in the Middle East and Europe.
Belgium is the Philippines’ 30th biggest trading partner in 2025, “with a full trade figure amounting to $480.14 million,” the DFA said.
Belgium is also host to over 18,000 Filipinos.
