Philippines, New Zealand Begin Talks on Visiting Forces Agreement

The Philippines and New Zealand have formally begun discussions on a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA), the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) announced on Wednesday.

The first round of negotiations took place in Manila on January 23, with Philippine DND Undersecretary Pablo M. Lorenzo and New Zealand Ministry of Defense (MoD) Director Kathleen Pearce leading their respective delegations. New Zealand’s representatives included Ambassador Catherine McIntosh, Deputy Head of Mission Stacey Kwant, and an MoD analyst, with additional officials participating virtually. The Philippine side comprised Department of Justice Undersecretaries Raul Vasquez and Dennis Arvin Chan, Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces Undersecretary Antonio Habulan Jr., and senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and DND.

According to the DND, these talks build on commitments made during New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to Manila in April 2024, where he and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed to pursue a SOVFA. The agreement is expected to complement an existing 2017 memorandum between the DND, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and New Zealand’s MoD, which facilitates defense cooperation.

A finalized SOVFA would allow both countries' armed forces to enhance joint military exercises and operations within each other’s territories, expanding defense collaboration. The agreement also comes ahead of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and New Zealand in 2026, highlighting long-term bilateral ties.

Officials did not specify a timeline for concluding the negotiations.