In a landmark development for international defense relations, the Philippines and New Zealand have successfully concluded negotiations for a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA). This pivotal agreement, finalized on February 18, 2025, marks a significant enhancement in the military and defense cooperation between the two nations.
The final round of talks, conducted through a hybrid arrangement, was led by the Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary Pablo M. Lorenzo and New Zealand’s Ministry of Defense Director Kathleen Pearce. The Philippine delegation included key figures such as Undersecretary Antonio Habulan Jr. from the Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces, and various assistant secretaries and state counsels from the DND, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Department of Justice. On the New Zealand side, representatives from the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment participated virtually from Wellington, with Ambassador Catherine McIntosh and other embassy officials also present.
The SOVFA is set to be signed in the second quarter of 2025 and will allow the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to conduct joint military exercises on each other’s territories. This agreement builds upon the 2017 memorandum of arrangement between the DND and the AFP with New Zealand’s Ministry of Defense, further solidifying defense ties.
The initial discussions for this agreement began in Manila on January 23, following a commitment made during New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to the Philippines in April 2024. The successful conclusion of the SOVFA is seen as a crucial step in strengthening bilateral defense relations, especially as the two countries approach the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2026.