PHILIPPINE EMBASSY JOINS FORUM ON ASEAN-EU ECONOMIC COOPERATION AT COLLEGIUM CIVITAS, WARSAW
Philippine Ambassador Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz (second from left) joins ASEAN counterparts from Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia on stage to speak about ASEAN-EU Trade and Economic Cooperation at the Collegium Civitas in Warsaw, Poland.
The Philippine Embassy joined fellow members of the ASEAN Committee in Warsaw (ACW) in a discussion on ASEAN-EU Trade and Economic Cooperation at an academic forum hosted by the Collegium Civitas on Friday, 24 March 2023, in Warsaw.
The event was held at the campus of Collegium Civitas inside the Palace of Culture and Science, a 42-storey Stalin-era landmark building located in the central part of the Polish capital. Collegium Civitas is a private university focusing on social sciences, business and marketing, media, and international relations.
The forum kicked off with a welcome message from Prof. Stanisław Mocek, Rector of Collegium Civitas, followed by remarks from Dr. Katarzyna Maniszewska, Vice-Rector of International Relations. The ambassadors of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam were then given an opportunity to make their respective presentations on the topic.
Philippine Ambassador Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz expressed deep appreciation to the university for providing the platform to engage with students in a dialogue and contribute to a better understanding of the value of cooperation between the ASEAN and the EU.
For her presentation, Ambassador Basinang-Ruiz focused on the role of the Philippines as country coordinator for ASEAN-EU Relations from 2021 to 2024, noting how cooperation between the two blocs has accelerated in the last three years since Dialogue Relations were elevated into a Strategic Partnership in 2020. The Ambassador discussed the milestones in relations that have recently been achieved, culminating in the historic ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit held in Brussels in December 2022 to mark 45 years of active and enduring partnership between the two blocs.
Alongside the 5-year “Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership for 2023-2027”, the Joint Leaders’ Statement that was issued during the Commemorative Summit “offers a roadmap towards the ambitious realization of the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership,” stated Ambassador Basinang-Ruiz in her presentation. She added that the Philippines “looks forward to continuing its role in steering cooperation initiatives, particularly in economic areas.”
The forum concluded with a Q&A session between the ambassadors and the university’s faculty and students, followed by a networking reception.
The event was part of the school outreach program of the ACW, aimed at raising the profile of ASEAN among the local and international academic communities in Poland. The ACW is one of fifty-five ASEAN Committees in Third Countries, which play an important role in ASEAN’s conduct of Dialogue and External Relations by promoting ASEAN’s interest and forging partnerships in their respective host countries. END.
Left photo: Prof. Stanisław Mocek, Rector of Collegium Civitas, opens the seminar with a Welcome Message.
Right photo: Ambassador Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz discusses the Philippines’ role as country coordinator of ASEAN-EU Relations for 2021-2024.
L-R: Ambassador of Malaysia H.E. Dato’ Chitra Devi Ramiah, Ambassador of Vietnam H.E. Mr. Nguyen Hung, Ambassador of Thailand H.E. Mrs. Urasa Mongkolnavin, Rector of Collegium Civitas Prof. Stanisław Mocek, Ambassador of the Philippines H.E. Mrs. Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz, Ambassador of Indonesia H.E. Mrs. Anita Lidya Luhulima, and Collegium Civitas Vice-Rector for International Relations Dr. Katarzyna Maniszewska
