News

On 23 July, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys, who is on a working visit to Manila, Philippines, met with representatives of the Department of Information and Communications Technology of the Philippines to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in information, communication technologies, cybersecurity and other high-added-value areas.

During the meeting, the Minister underlined that Lithuanian companies are already contributing to the Philippines' digital transformation and the development of the business services sector, providing a solid basis for further economic partnership. Lithuania is ready to expand cooperation in areas where it has internationally recognised expertise in cybersecurity, digitalisation, high-performance computing, IT infrastructure development and digital public services.

“Lithuania is ready to share its experience in building a resilient and secure digital ecosystem. We see great potential in the Philippines in strengthening national cybersecurity capabilities and look forward to further developing expert cooperation and business partnerships. In addition to sharing experiences, we want to develop common digital solutions for the future," said Minister Budrys.

The Minister noted that cooperation between Lithuania and the Philippines in the field of cyber security is already yielding tangible results. Last year, Lithuanian experts organised training for Filipino cyber security specialists, including representatives of the country's armed forces, and in September this year, a delegation of Filipino experts will visit Lithuania for a direct exchange of experience with Lithuanian authorities and specialists.

The meeting also discussed defence cooperation, including participation in the multinational cybersecurity exercises Amber Mist and Balikatan, as well as joint efforts to strengthen resilience against hybrid threats and disinformation.

Special attention was paid to the responsible development of artificial intelligence. The Minister invited the Philippines to accede to the Vilnius Convention, the world’s first legally binding international treaty for the protection of human rights in the era of Artificial Intelligence.

The meeting also highlighted the contribution of Lithuanian development cooperation to the implementation of projects in the field of cybersecurity in the Philippines and expressed the desire to continue close cooperation between institutions, experts and business, contributing to the creation of a safe and innovative digital environment.