LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is set to convene the third session of its Meet the Diplomat Series (MDS) on 15 April 2026, featuring the European Union (EU) Delegation to the Philippines.
The session will spotlight EU-Philippines bilateral relations, providing a platform to discuss shared priorities and opportunities for collaboration.
Building on the success of the first two MDS sessions, which featured diplomats from Thailand and Spain, the event continues SEARCA's efforts to broaden its discourse with international partners on global and regional issues that shape sustainable development across Southeast Asia and beyond.
The MDS is anchored in SEARCA's 12th Five-Year Development Plan: Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia). Through this initiative, SEARCA seeks to bridge diplomacy, science, and policy by strengthening engagement with embassies and international organizations and fostering meaningful exchanges on foreign policy priorities and development initiatives.
The event is expected to bring together diplomatic officials, policymakers, researchers, academics, development practitioners, and the youth, creating a dynamic space for dialogue on shared challenges and emerging opportunities. As SEARCA prepares to host the next session of the series, it reaffirms its commitment to building strategic partnerships that support sustainable agricultural transformation throughout the region and beyond.