Griffith renews link with Philippines

Professor Russell Trood is the new Director of the Griffith Asia Institute.
Professor Russell Trood, Director of the Griffith Asia Institute.

An international partnership dating back 18 years will be revisited on Thursday (August 27) when Griffith Asia Institute hosts a policy forum with the Philippine Institute for Development Studies.

The Australia-Philippines Policy Forum: Economic Diplomacy and the APEC Agenda will be held in Makati.

“We are keen to deepen our engagement with thePhilippines, and in the process take this opportunity to re-establish a high level Dialogue series,” Professor Russell Trood, Director of Griffith Asia Institute, said.

“This is particularly timely given that Philippines is APEC host this year.”

Professor Trood was part of the firstPhilippine-Australia Dialogue (PAD) instigated by ​Foreign Minister, Alexander ​Downer MP, in 1997. This initiative was subsequentlyupgraded to a joint ministerial meeting in 2005.

Griffith University’s Centre for Study of Asia Australia Relations, which becamethe Griffith Asia Institute, was the host of the first PAD in 1997.

“The Dialogue has two objectives,” Professor Trood said. “Firstly, to discuss the current state of the bilateral relationship around the economic and trade partnership and secondly, to strengthen the institutional links between Griffith Asia Institute and Philippine Institute for Development Studies, both members of the APEC Study Centre Consortium.”

Griffith Asia Institute has already established bilateral forums with Japan, Korea and Indonesia. This Dialogue series was convened as part of the Asia Century Futures Initiative.

Thursday’s discussions will examine the current status of the Australia-Philippines bilateral relationship, with a particular focus on the broad economic partnership and their roles in multilateral cooperation such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Both institutions are also seeking to strengthen the collaboration between APEC study centres around research and knowledge dissemination on APEC matters.

The Philippine Institute for Development Studies has been leading the Philippine APEC Study Center Network (PASCN) since 1997.

The keynote address will be delivered by Undersecretary Laura del Rosario, Department of Foreign Affairs and APEC SOM 2015 Chair.

Three dedicated sessions will explore the prospects for and challenges facing the Australia-Philippines economic partnership in the Asia Pacific, how to build sustainable and resilient communities, and ongoing investment in women’s economic empowerment.

Thursday’s forum takes place at Diamond Makati Residences from 9.30am to 4.30pm.