Ambassador of Philippines: Azerbaijan plays important role globally and in region - INTERVIEW

In an interview with Report, the newly appointed Ambassador of the Philippines to Azerbaijan, Türkiye and Georgia, Henry Bensurto, answered questions about his visit to Azerbaijan, as well as the development trends in bilateral relations, inter-parliamentary relations, Azerbaijan’s foreign policy towards Asian countries, and other related topics.

- Mr. Ambassador, you visited Azerbaijan in July 2024 and presented your credentials to President Ilham Aliyev. What are your impressions of the trip?

- I am happy to have officially started my role as the ambassador of the Philippines in Azerbaijan. We have many things to share as nations. Despite the geographical distance between our countries, modern technologies bring our relations closer. Baku is a fascinating city, blending elements of both East and West. People are very tolerant. Locals value different cultures and easily befriend you. I appreciate the hospitality and friendship of the Azerbaijanis, this characteristic is very close to us. We, the Filipinos, express our gratitude with the word ‘salamat.’ I was intrigued when I heard this expression from Azerbaijanis, and it turns out that you also often use this expression. This shows that we have a lot in common. The similarity and closeness of our nations give me great confidence that my diplomatic activity as an ambassador will be successful. Considering the relations between our peoples, I am thinking of ways to expand these relations in the near future. I drew attention to this issue during the official meetings I held in Baku. One of the important issues I focused on was related to airline services. I hope that in the near future there will be direct flights between Azerbaijan and the Philippines and our people will be able to travel more comfortably.

We raised the visa issue during the meeting with Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. I am seeking to facilitate the exchange of visas between our countries so that not only diplomats, but also civil citizens could have the opportunity to visit each other. All this can give the further impetus to bringing our peoples even closer. Of course, these are still an idea and we will try to make them come true.

Our conversations and discussions with the officials I met in Azerbaijan were very interesting and productive. Therefore, I am optimistic about these issues. As Azerbaijan is currently one of the global players in the world, such agreements and decisions benefit the country.

- What can you say about the current state of the Philippine-Azerbaijani Inter-Parliamentary relations?

- In May, Baku hosted the 6th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue. A high-level delegation led by Rachel Arenas, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Philippine parliament, visited Baku to participate in this event. I also Türkiye. During her visit, Ms. Arenas held various level meetings with officials in Baku. At the same time, she met with Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign and Interparliamentary Relations of the 6th convocation of the Azerbaijan Milli Majlis (Parliament), and discussed various issues. We believe that Azerbaijan-Philippines inter-parliamentary relations will further develop in the near future.

- How do you evaluate Azerbaijan's foreign policy in towards Asian countries?

- Azerbaijan plays an important role both globally and in the region. Recently, it has successfully hosted the most important international events. A major event, COP29, is expected to be held in the future. I believe that Baku will successfully host this event, which is currently the focus of the entire world. All this reflects the important role Azerbaijan plays in the international level. We also see the role that Azerbaijan plays in the Asia-Pacific region. As a diplomat and representative of a country in the region, I can say that Azerbaijan is conducting a successful policy in the Asia-Pacific region. As a result of this, I believe that relations between the countries of the region and Azerbaijan will deepen in all areas.

- What are your plans for cooperation with Azerbaijan in the near future?

- We want to promote our culture by holding Philippine Culture Days in Baku. We have special projects in this regard. In general, we have many plans. We have to do all this step by step.