Philippines, Germany sign defense deal

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Germany have signed a defense cooperation deal that aims to "pursue an overarching framework to advance bilateral defense partnership" in the coming years.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and German Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius signed the agreement in Berlin on Wednesday, May 14. 

The Department of National Defense (DND) said on Thursday, May 15, that the deal builds on the 1974 agreement between the Philippines and Germany on military training assistance, "one of the longest defense cooperation framework of the Philippines with another country."

The deal expands cooperation between the Philippines' and Germany's defense agencies in cybersecurity, defense armaments and logistics and United Nations peacekeeping, among others. 

"After the signing, both defense ministers will convene the 3rd Philippines-Germany Security and Defense Staff Talks to review and concretize proposed joint activities and initiatives to be implemented under the said arrangement in the coming year," the DND said. 

The fresh deal between both nations follows the visit of Pistorius to the Philippines in August 2024, the first-ever visit by a German federal defense minister to the country. 

Last year, Teodoro said at a joint press conference with Pistorius that the Philippines is "looking to engage Germany as a possible supplier" of training and weapons capabilities.  

Teodoro was in Berlin to attend the two-day UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting to reaffirm Manila's commitment toward global peace and security as one of the founding member-states and troop-contributing nations to the international body. 

"The Philippines has a current bid for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council, for which Secretary Teodoro expressed the country's readiness to play an active role in addressing global security concerns," the DND statement read. 

In February, both nations' armed forces reinforced their commitment to closer military ties during high-level talks between Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and Chief of the Defense Forces of Germany Gen. Carsten Breuer.