The annual ambassadors’ conference – (more than) a family reunion of German foreign policy

Dear friends and readers, today the title of this column, “Postcards from Berlin,” can be taken quite literally, as I am writing these lines from Berlin. Once a year, in early September, Germany’s Federal Foreign Office brings together its ambassadors from around the world to Berlin to help shape and update our foreign policy agenda. That is exactly where I am as I write: at the Federal Foreign Office, my professional home, taking part in meetings, discussions and workshops alongside the heads of all 225 German missions abroad.

This conference is not reserved exclusively for German ambassadors. Together with our guests of honor, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šef?ovi?, as well as with leading members of Germany’s parliament, we discussed current foreign policy challenges. We also discussed with leading members of Germany’s parliament the close links between foreign and domestic politics. We also had the honor of being received by Germany’s Federal President, H.E. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, our head of state, who only recently – in June 2026 – visited the Philippines, leaving a lasting impact on our bilateral relations. Last but not least, we exchanged views with Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Germany’s head of government, to better understand the government’s priorities.

One full day of the Ambassadors’ Conference is traditionally dedicated to business. More than 650 representatives of German companies attended the “Ambassadors’ Conference Business Day” to exchange with diplomats about investment opportunities and the business climate in our host countries.

As you can imagine, the global crises surrounding Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, the crisis in the Middle East with all its economic and political repercussions and the rapidly changing international security landscape were key elements of our discussions. One thing is crystal clear: forging new partnerships and deepening existing ones is not just an option, but a necessity. This is why the German government will define key countries for our foreign policy – partners like the Philippines, with whom we share common values and interests and with whom we would like to further strengthen our relations. That is why investing in our growing partnership with the Philippines will remain a priority.

Germany and the Philippines have a great deal in common, beginning with the links of the Philippine national hero José Rizal, who lived and studied in Germany. In recent years, we have intensified our bilateral relations, underpinned by high-level visits, most recently the visit of Germany’s Federal President Steinmeier to Manila in June 2026. An important pillar of our relations is investment and business cooperation. The recent investment by Lufthansa Technik Philippines in Clark, where a completely new overhaul and maintenance facility for wide-body and long-haul aircraft is being constructed, is a testament to the potential and opportunities of German-Philippine business relations. This was also a key takeaway from the Business Day of the Ambassadors’ Conference: there is strong interest in the Philippines within the German business community, and I am optimistic that we will see more investment in the years to come.

Moreover, the ambassadors’ conference provides a platform for sharing best practices and positive examples of mutually beneficial international cooperation. German-Philippine relations offer many strong examples of close collaboration that already serve – or could serve – as a blueprint for engagement with other countries. Here are some examples:

The Philippines and Germany have pioneered a Global Skills Partnership that enables Filipino nurses and care workers to train and work in Germany on a temporary basis. The program has been in place since 2018 and has recently been expanded to include other countries, most recently India. This initiative, alongside the Triple Win program, is widely seen as the gold standard of fair and mutually beneficial skilled labor migration.

Germany and the Philippines cooperate very successfully on climate action, most notably through the TRANSCEND project – Transformative Actions for Climate and Ecological Protection and Development. Our cooperation ranges from protecting the Philippines’ unique biodiversity to promoting renewable energy and supporting power grid integration. In addition, Germany, through the German agency for development cooperation (GIZ), supports the Philippine Climate Change Commission in updating and implementing the country’s national climate strategy.

Third, the German Red Cross and the Philippine Red Cross cooperate very successfully in the field of disaster risk reduction and preparedness. The Philippines is among the countries most exposed to natural hazards: volcanos, typhoons and earthquakes. As a partner, Germany stands ready to support where needed. At the same time, climate change is becoming increasingly tangible in Germany as well. Recent wildfires and more frequent flooding have been a stark reminder of this reality. In this context, there is also much we can learn from the Philippines – especially when it comes to early warning systems and alert mechanisms.

While political challenges remain, this week’s Ambassadors’ Conference was also an opportunity for me to reflect with pride on what Germany and the Philippines have already achieved together – and what we can achieve in the future.

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Andreas Pfaffernoschke is the German ambassador to the Philippines.