By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – Mongolian Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh is set to embark on an official visit to the Philippines on May 19 and 20, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sunday.
Battsetseg will hold a bilateral meeting with her counterpart, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, and review the state of Philippine-Mongolian relations.
She is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and meet with Senate President Francis Escudero.
The DFA said her visit to the Philippines, the first by a Mongolian foreign minister since 1984, would help “chart ways forward to further enhance the two countries’ diplomatic relations.”
On top of the bilateral cooperation, the DFA said the two foreign ministers would also discuss “strategic issues of mutual concern.”
Battsetseg’s upcoming Manila trip reciprocates Manalo’s visit to Ulaanbaatar in August 2024, where they convened the 4th Philippines-Mongolia Policy Consultations.
During the meeting, the top diplomats of Manila and Ulaanbaatar discussed ways to promote trade, including the establishment of ties between Filipino and Mongolian business communities, and the potential for further cooperation on tourism, agriculture, English language training, and sports. (PNA)
