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EXPERTISES
countries more than from USD
1 billion in 2010 to almost
USD 2.5 billion in 2014. While
this trade has been mostly in
France’s favor – the Philip-
pines’ represented France’s
ninth largest trade surplus in
the world in 2014 – this re-
newed dynamism has also ser-
ved the Philippines well, parti-
cularly through French
investments in the country.
During the visit of President
Aquino to France last year,
several commercial contracts
were signed in public trans-
portation and telecommunica-
tions: two traditional French
centers of excellence. RATP-
Dev, together with Bouygues
Travaux Publics and Alstom
Transport, won contracts for
the operation and mainte-
n a n c e a n d d e s i g n a n d
construction of the extension
of the oldest metro line in the
Philippines. Alcatel-Lucent, on
the other hand, signed a
contract with Globe Telecom,
Inc. – one of the leading tele-
communication firms in the
Philippines – to improve
Globe’s network quality and
performance and ultimately
improve the level of satisfac-
tion of its mobile broadband
access customers.
The opportunities have not
been reserved exclusively for
CAC40 or French blue chip
companies, such as Sanofi,
Total, AXA, or Lafarge. Other
French SMEs, particularly in
resident François
Hollande made history when
he visited the Philippines in
February 2015. This came
barely six months after our
own Pr e s i den t Ben i gno
Aquino III visited Paris in Sep-
tember 2014. Prior to this was
the visit of former Prime Mi-
nister Jean-Marc Ayrault to
the Philippines in October
2012. In a span of 30 months,
Philippines-France bilateral
relations were propelled to a
whole new level and the Philip-
pines finally appeared in the
French radar. For two countries
without traditional ties, this
was a feat to be achieved in
sixty-seven years.
Philippines-France
bilateral trade doubles
in three years
The impact of strengthened
bilateral relations extended
well beyond the political
arena. Its impact could be felt
in the business sector as well.
According to the Department
of Trade and Industry, total
t r ad e b e twe en ou r two
Putting the Philippines
in the French Radar
Sixty-seven years: this is how long it took the Philippines to have its irst
visit from a French Head of State.
P
by
H.E. MA. THERESA
LAZARO
AmbASSAdor oF tHe
PHiliPPineS in FrAnce
INTERNATIONAL
IAFEI Quarterly | Issue 31 | 60