DUBAI - Renato N. Dueñas, Consul-General of the Philippines in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, lauded the bilateral ties between the Philippines and the UAE, which continue to grow stronger across economic, cultural, and social fields.

In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Dueñas highlighted the development of UAE-Philippines ties over the past two decades, noting that their economic cooperation has particularly seen significant advancement, especially with the signing of a joint agreement for promoting and protecting investments between the two countries.

He also commended the success of Expo 2020 Dubai, during which the two countries announced further negotiations that could lead to the signing of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA).

He welcomed the UAE’s humanitarian initiatives, which have helped enhance its relations with his country, in addition to the UAE’s support for foreign residents, including the Filipino community, which is one of the largest in the UAE, in line with its values of coexistence and pluralism.

Dueñas said that the celebration, organised by the Filipino community in Dubai last month to mark the Independence Day of the Philippines, was attended by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, which further evidences the strong ties the two countries share.

The trade exchange and investments between the two countries continue to surge compared to 2020 and 2021, as well as Emirati foreign direct investments (FDI) in the Philippines, most notably in the area of renewable energy, he added.

The UAE is the largest export partner of the Philippines in the Middle East, with their trade exchange increasing by 34.7 percent to AED3.5 billion (US$951 million) in 2021, compared with AED2.6 billion (US$705 million) in 2020.