Manila, Philippines – Anne-Marie Descôtes, Secretary General of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, with French Ambassador Marie Fontanel, inaugurated the new premises of the Embassy of France to the Philippines and in Micronesia.
The inauguration ceremony took place in the presence of Assistant Secretary Ariel Peñaranda from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, Monique Lagdameo, Vice-Mayor of Makati, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II, CEO of Ayala, and Heads of missions of European Union Member States.
In January, the Embassy of France relocated to its new premises at the 21st floor, Ayala Triangle Gardens Tower 2, Paseo de Roxas corner Makati Avenue in Makati City.
The new, modern premises aim to upgrade the quality of service being rendered by the Embassy of France to the public, as well as the working conditions of the embassy teams, which have expanded over the last few months with the opening of a full-fledged defense mission.
The inauguration of the new embassy premises and the visit of Secretary General Descôtes, as the guest of honor representing the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, also coincides with the reopening of the Paris-Manila direct flight and the launch of the Philippine Week in Paris.
Secretary General Descôtes took the maiden Paris-Manila flight via Air France, arriving in Manila on December 8, Sunday. A delegation of Philippine officials from the Department of Tourism, Department of Transportation, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Science and Technology, and Philippine Coast Guard, also took the first flight leaving Manila on the same night for high-level meetings with their counterparts in France.
The Philippine Week in Paris, from December 9 to 13, is aimed at exploring new avenues for cooperation across a range of sectors including maritime cooperation, trade, tourism, development, higher education or research.
