Abu dhabi: The UAE Gender Balance Council today held a high-level meeting with Louise Araneta Marcos, First Lady of the Republic of the Philippines. The meeting formed part of a strategic partnership reflecting the strength of bilateral relations between the UAE and the Republic of the Philippines.
According to Emirates News Agency, the meeting, organised in collaboration with the Government Knowledge Exchange Office, was attended by Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, and Mouza Al Suwaidi, Secretary General of the UAE Gender Balance Council. The discussions focused on advancing joint cooperation and activating the exchange of knowledge and expertise in support of government development and leadership capacity-building.
The discussions centered on the Women's Leadership Programme, launched by H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council. The programme is scheduled to take place in April 2026 under the Knowledge Exchange Agreement between the two countries, reflecting their shared commitment to strengthening leadership capabilities and enhancing women's representation in decision-making positions.
The programme aims to strengthen women's leadership pathways in the Philippines by developing leadership capabilities and exchanging best practices. It seeks to enhance institutional readiness among women leaders in both the public and private sectors, promote the adoption of practical and scalable governance models, support the development of emerging leaders, and expand the pool of qualified female talent, delivering lasting institutional and societal impact.
This engagement aligns with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the UAE and the Philippines to enhance government systems and support development through knowledge exchange across priority sectors, covering the period from February 2025 to February 2028.
During the meeting, Louise Araneta Marcos expressed her appreciation to the UAE, emphasising that the partnership represents a key pillar in enhancing governments' readiness for future challenges. She stated that the strategic partnership with the UAE is valued, sharing aspirations in advancing women's leadership and building institutional capacities. She highlighted the importance of knowledge-sharing initiatives that recognize both countries' experiences in creating practical, actionable programs.
She reaffirmed the Philippines' commitment to advancing the Women's Leadership Support Programme, emphasizing its role as a practical framework that strengthens the impact of cooperation at both institutional and societal levels. She also commended the broader cooperation between the governments of the UAE and the Philippines through the Government Knowledge Exchange Programme.
H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum emphasized the importance of this collaboration, noting that the partnership embodies a model of international cooperation based on trust, knowledge exchange, and institutional capacity-building. She highlighted that exchanging knowledge and expertise between countries is a key pathway to achieving sustainable impact.
The UAE is set to host a high-level delegation from the Republic of the Philippines, including government leaders from both public and private sectors. The specialised programme reflects the depth of bilateral relations and aims to enhance cooperation in government leadership and institutional capacity-building.
Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, stated that the launch of the Women's Leadership Programme reflects the UAE's commitment to strengthening international cooperation and knowledge exchange in women's empowerment and leadership. Meanwhile, Mouza Mohammed Al Ghuwais Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General, emphasized the integrated institutional approach of the programme in translating UAE's gender balance priorities into practical outcomes.
The governments of the UAE and the Republic of the Philippines strengthened their partnership in February 2025 through the Government Knowledge Exchange Office, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise in government excellence, performance development, institutional and leadership capacity-building, and innovation-supporting sustainable development impact.