Indonesia, Brunei strengthen bilateral relations with Philippines

Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Nathaniel Imperial received Indonesian Chargé d’Affaires Widya Rahmanto and Brunei Darussalam Ambassador Johariah binti Haji Wahab in a back-to-back courtesy call on March 15 at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Indonesian Minister Chargé d’Affaires Widya Rahmanto (second from left) hands over
a miniature replica of the National Monument of Indonesia to Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Asian Affairs Nathaniel Imperial, with Minister Counsellor Kusuma Pradopo, Head of the Economics Section of the Embassy of Indonesia (leftmost), and incoming Maritime Southeast Asia Director, Minister Maria Anna Lilia de Vera-Schinazi (rightmost). PHOTOS BY DFA-ASPAC

During the event, they discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations especially in the areas of trade and investment in Mindanao and the BIMP-EAGA region, as well as defense and logistics cooperation as the wider Asean region continue to deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brunei Darussalam Ambassador Johariah binti Haji Wahab (left) and Assistant
Secretary Imperial

Assistant Secretary Imperial and Chargé d’Affaires Widya Rahmanto committed to further strengthening cooperation with Indonesia in the areas of maritime security, counter-terrorism, and the rehabilitation of Marawi. Meanwhile, the Assistant Secretary also took the opportunity to reiterate Philippine support for Brunei Darussalam’s current Chairmanship of Asean; and both Assistant Secretary and Ambassador Wahab affirmed reinvigorating engagements in various areas of cooperation such as health, education, and the halal sector.