The Philippines and New Zealand have completed negotiations for a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) allowing military forces from both countries to conduct joint exercises and activities on each other’s territories.
Department of National Defense (DND) spokesman Arsenio Andolong announced that the final round of talks concluded on February 18, with both sides expressing optimism about signing the deal in the second quarter of 2025.
The agreement aims to strengthen defense and military ties between the Philippines and New Zealand, enabling their armed forces to collaborate more closely.
The negotiations involved representatives from both countries, with the final talks led by DND Undersecretary Pablo Lorenzo and New Zealand Ministry of Defense Director Kathleen Pearce.
This agreement is expected to reinforce the 2017 Memorandum of Arrangement and mark a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship between the two nations, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2026.
PHILIPPINES, NEW ZEALAND WRAP UP DISCUSSIONS ON VISITING FORCES PACT
Latest from News
The International Energy Agency announced it will release 271.7 million barrels of strategic oil reserves worldwide
Donald Trump called on U.S. allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz after Iran disrupted
Women in the Philippines continue to face dangerous and unregulated abortion practices as strict laws banning
The Philippine Navy said it will continue regular patrols in the West Philippine Sea despite soaring
Alan Peter Cayetano urged Malacañang to establish a national contingency plan (NCP) to safeguard overseas Filipino