The Philippines and Egypt are advancing defense and security cooperation following a meeting between senior officials this week. The discussions aim to expand training and exchanges ahead of the 80th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2026.
Defense Senior Undersecretary Irineo Espino met Egypt Ambassador Nader Nabil Zaki on Tuesday in Manila. They reviewed ongoing engagements and discussed a proposed memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation.
The agreement would provide a framework for joint training, people-to-people exchanges, and other activities. Ambassador Zaki also signaled openness to imam training support for the Armed Forces of the Philippines chaplain service.
Both sides expressed confidence in the partnership and noted Egypt’s potential role with ASEAN as a dialogue partner. The talks coincide with preparations to mark 80 years of diplomatic relations next year.
