With the global centre of gravity shifting towards the Indo-Pacific, there is clear demand for greater European Union, EU engagement with this dynamic part of the world. While the EU is extensively engaged in the region through investment and development cooperation, a more intensive engagement is aimed at boosting political and security cooperation to contribute to the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. His Excellency, Vincent Piket, Ambassador of the European Union to Indonesia and Ambassador-Designate to Brunei Darussalam explained the matter while delivering a keynote titled 'The European Union as a Global Actor in the Indo-Pacific' at Universiti Brunei Darussalam.
His keynote also outlined the EU's strategic interests in the region, and how it intends to strengthen cooperation and diversify partnerships in the areas of trade, development, and security, in the region and with Brunei Darussalam. His Excellency ended his three-day working visit to the country after launching the EU- Brunei Darussalam Partnership Facility.
Several discussion were also held which, among other things, discussed the EU's foreign policy and security policy. Also joining were His Excellency Bernard Regnauld- Fabre, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to the country and Her Excellency Gerda Winkler, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to the country. The discussion Moderator was Doctor Joyce Teo Siew Yean, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Vice President of Global Affairs at UBD.
Undergraduates also had the opportunity to take a closer look at the Erasamus+Scholarships and the Horizon Europe Research Programme, the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation. During the visit, his Excellency also made a bilateral meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Brunei Climat Change Secretariat.
Source: Radio Television Brunei