Last week, the Philippine Ambassador to Brunei, Ms. Marian Tirol-Ignacio, and her collaborator Ms. Jacqueline Ong paid a briefing visit to French Ambassador Ms. Eve Lubin and German Ambassador Mr. Weert Börner, both in their national capacity and as the only Ambassadors from the European Union residing in Bandar Seri Begawan. Ambassador Tirol-Ignacio informed about the programme and activities of the Philippines as Chair of ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) in 2026, including an open exchange about the current volatile situation in world politics. ASEAN and the EU share the clear commitment to defend a rules-based international order, to uphold public international law and to support the United Nations including their necessary reform.

Another topic of the Philippine briefing was the further development of BIMP-EAGA, the East ASEAN Growth Area covering all of Brunei and large parts of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines (see map attached). The Philippine Ambassador informed about a special BIMP-EAGA Summit that will take place on 8th May 2026 under Philippine chairship and offered France, Germany and the EU to contribute to BIMP-EAGA projects, both through state and private business initiatives.