29 September 2005 – The Department of Foreign Affairs today announced that the 2nd Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be  held on 01-02 October 2005 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs Norberto Basilio said the 2nd JCM would be an opportunity for the Philippine government to revive some pending initiatives discussed during the 1st JCM, submit its new project proposals, bilateral agreements, and resolve pending issues of mutual concern with Saudi counterparts. The official Philippine delegation is composed of representatives from selected concerned government agencies and will be headed by Undersecretary Edsel Custodio of the Office of International Economic Relations of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Saudi official delegation will be headed by Deputy Minister for Economic and Cultural Affairs Dr. Yousef bin Tarad Al-Saadoun.

The Philippine Government has combined the 2nd RP-KSA JCM with a trade mission, an endeavor that would necessitate the participation of the business delegation as represented by the private sector. The trade mission is headed by Mr. Oscar Claveria de Venecia, Vice Chairman, International and Trade Relations of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

OUIER Undersecretary Custodio and Mr. de Venecia have left for Riyadh on 27 September 2005 for a series of meetings and field visits arranged by the Saudi-Philippines Joint Business Council, three days ahead of the opening session of the 2nd RP-KSA JCM.

The governments of the Philippines and Saudi Arabia look forward to further strengthening bilateral relations with the signing of three relevant bilateral agreements covering various areas of cooperation, namely:

1. RP-KSA Agreement on the Encouragement and Protection of Investments (Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement);
2. Loan Agreement (Development of Mindanao Roads Project) between the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and the Republic of the Philippines; and
3. Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Education and Vocational Training

Assistant Secretary Basilio cited some of the important pending issues and projects that will be presented by the Philippine side, namely:
 
· possible joint energy projects and exchange of technical trainings/assistance between the Philippine energy sector (DOE, PNOC-EDC, PNOC-PPDC, NPC, Petron Corp.);
· clarification of market access issues that the Philippine side negotiated with KSA during the bilateral meetings in Geneva, which includes the Philippine request for KSA to lift the ban on importation of coconut and marine products;
· promoting cooperation in the banking sector with such proposals as the sending of experts to Saudi for technical assistance & training on Islamic banking and possible opening of remittance windows for Philippine banks on Saudi Arabia;
· pursuing cooperation in the education sector through projects such as the exchange student program, request for KSA financial support in preparation/contextualization of curriculum to adopt Madrasah education and the proposed professionalization of 4,500 Madrasah teachers; and
· proposals for a project in port development and maritime shipping (Cotabato Port Development Project and Maritime Industrial Park)

The working schedule of the 2nd RP-KSA JCM would involve the following activities: October 1- 10:00 a.m.- Field Visits to the following- Saudi Ministry of Health, Ministry of Customs, Specification & Measurement, and the General Establishment for Technical Education (GOTEVOT) and the Ministry of Agriculture; October 2- 11:00 a.m. Opening Session of the JCM; 1:30 p.m.- Luncheon to be hosted by the head of the Saudi delegation; and 4:00 p.m. Visit to the King Abdul Aziz Historical Center.

The first Joint Commission Meeting between the Philippines and Saudi Arabia was held in Manila in April 1999. The Philippines-Saudi Arabia Agreement on Economic, Trade, Investment and Technical Cooperation, which was signed on 25 October 2004, provided for the holding of the JCM. The Philippine delegation was headed by then Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Rosario Manalo while the Saudi delegation was headed by Deputy Minister for Economic and Cultural Affairs Dr. Yousef bin Tarad Al-Saadoun. END
 

/bjg