New Zealand and the Philippines will this week formalise a new agreement to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries, Defence Minister Judith Collins has announced.

Collins is travelling to the Philippines today to sign the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, which she said highlights the importance New Zealand places on working closely with regional partners.

“It formally sets the legal framework for engagement between our respective militaries, better facilitating ongoing cooperation, activities, and exercises in each of our territories,” she said.

The agreement follows a commitment made by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr during Mr Luxon’s visit to Manila last year. It will now undergo a final ratification process in the Philippine Senate.

While in the Philippines, Collins is scheduled to meet with President Marcos and hold a bilateral meeting with Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro.

“We are committed to reinvigorating our security relationships, to playing our part, and working with regional partners such as the Philippines to uphold the international rules-based order,” Collins said.

She is expected to return to New Zealand on 2 May.

The Status of Visiting Forces Agreement is a treaty-level document that establishes the legal conditions for military cooperation between the two countries, including the responsibilities and obligations on both sides.

It builds on two previous defence agreements: the Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement signed earlier this year, and the Defence Cooperation Arrangement signed in 2012.

New Zealand also signed a similar agreement with Fiji in 2023.