FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro hosted Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Xavier Bettel in Manila on Wednesday to discuss deepening cooperation between the two nations. The meeting covered trade and investment, financial cooperation, creative industries, information and communications technology, space technology and artificial intelligence. Also present at the talks was Migrant Workers Undersecretary Felicitas Bay, who outlined opportunities for formal labor mobility cooperation, signaling Manila’s push to expand overseas employment pathways for Filipino workers in Europe. A memorandum of understanding on bilateral consultations was signed during the meeting, establishing a formal mechanism for regular dialogue. Under the agreement, Manila and Luxembourg will convene periodic consultations to review cooperation initiatives and identify new areas of partnership. The Philippines expects to host the inaugural consultation later this year. Lazaro reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to upholding the rules-based international order in regional and multilateral forums, consistent with its foreign policy priorities. As the current chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Lazaro invited Bettel to attend the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation on July 24. Bettel accepted the invitation and conveyed Luxembourg’s interest in engaging Asean on practical cooperation, particularly in humanitarian assistance and digitalization, to advance regional integration and inclusive growth. Bettel’s visit coincides with the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Luxembourg, underscoring both countries’ intention to elevate ties amid evolving geopolitical and economic landscapes. Diplomatic relations between the two nations were established in 1946, shortly after Philippine independence, and have since expanded through trade, development cooperation and shared commitments to multilateral engagement.