UK envoy ends tour of duty in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — British ambassador Daniel Pruce will formally end his tour of duty in the Philippines this month.

“Sad to say farewell to (Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.) at the end of my posting. Thanks for such a close partnership,” the ambassador said following his farewell call on the secretary last July 29.

During the meeting, Pruce and Locsin discussed the United Kingdom’s donation of 415,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, tentatively scheduled to arrive tomorrow afternoon.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) thanked Pruce for his dedicated service in strengthening the bilateral relations of the Philippines and UK.

Their discussions also followed through on matters discussed during the recent phone call between Locsin and his British counterpart Secretary Dominic Raab, such as the enhanced bilateral partnership, police cooperation and the UK’s bid to become a dialogue partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Pruce, who assumed the ambassador post in Manila in August 2017, was warmly welcomed in the country after he introduced himself to Filipinos in Tagalog.

“Kinagagalak ko na may pagkakataon ako na mapalakas pa ang ating magandang relasyon. Masaya akong nag aaral ng napakagandang wikang Tagalog at ginagawa ko ang lahat ng abot kaya ko para matutunan ito (It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to strengthen our relationship. I enjoy studying the beautiful Tagalog language and I am doing my best to learn it),” he said at the time.

British diplomat Laure Beaufils will replace Pruce as ambassador to the Philippines and Palau.

Prior to her designation to the Manila post, she was deputy director for Middle East and North Africa of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

“It will be an honor to build on the work of @DanielPruce and his talented team to further strengthen our important ties and friendships,” Beaufils said in an earlier tweet.