Stratbase Institute, together with Institut français des relations internationals (ifri), released a study entitled, “The Case for Enhanced France-Philippines Maritime Cooperation.” This paper was authored by Rear Admiral Jose Renan Suarez (Ret.), former Commander of the Naval Education and Training Command of the Philippine Navy, and Ms. Céline Pajon, a researcher in charge of Japan and Indo-Pacific activities at ifri’s Center for Asian Studies. 

France and the Philippines are two Indo-Pacific maritime nations, or “blue nations.” France has the second largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ), 90% of which is in the Indo-Pacific, while the Philippines, an archipelago strategically located at the barycenter of this vast region, has 36,000 km of coastline, ranking sixth in the world. Both nations hold key positions in terms of coral biodiversity, with the Philippines ranking third and France fourth. Moreover, they are crucial players in the fisheries sector, presenting them with shared opportunities and challenges in managing marine resources and maintaining maritime security.  

As such, there is a need to reinforce maritime cooperation between France and the Philippines. Such a cooperation would build on their shared values, such as adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a commitment to freedom of navigation, and support for a multilateral rules-based international order. The purpose of this paper is to outline the strategic rationale and explore operational areas where both countries can align and cooperate. This is timely, as France will host the third UN Ocean Conference in Nice in June 2025. 

 

To download a copy of this study, CLICK HERE.  

To access the study from ifri’s website, CLICK HERE.  

This Memo was a collaborative effort between Institut français des relations internationales (ifri) and Stratbase Institute, supported by the Blue Nations initiative of the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia.