MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived in Abu Dhabi late Monday for a short working visit expected to yield the Philippines’ first free trade agreement with a Middle Eastern country and a new defense cooperation pact with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The presidential aircraft touched down at Al Bateen Airport at 11:09 p.m. local time (3:09 a.m. Tuesday in Manila), where Marcos was welcomed by UAE Minister of State Saeed Al Hajeri, alongside Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Alfonso Ver.
Central to the visit is the anticipated signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which would mark the Philippines’ inaugural free trade deal with a Gulf state and is expected to expand market access and deepen economic ties between Manila and Abu Dhabi.
Also on the agenda is a Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation, aimed at establishing a framework for closer collaboration in defense-related technologies and capabilities.
Marcos is also set to participate in Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, a global gathering of leaders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders focused on energy transition, food and water security, sustainable finance, and environmental protection.
In his departure statement, the President said the visit’s expected agreements and engagements are intended to benefit not only Filipinos in the country but also the estimated 900,000 Filipinos living and working in the UAE.
Beyond official meetings, Marcos is scheduled to engage business leaders and members of the Filipino community during his brief stay, following an invitation from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan./PN
