MANILA, Philippines— The Philippines and New Zealand have completed negotiations for a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA), a pact that will enable military forces from both countries to conduct exercises on each other’s territory.

The final round of negotiations took place through a hybrid arrangement, with Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary Pablo M. Lorenzo and New Zealand Ministry of Defense (MoD) Director Kathleen Pearce leading their respective delegations.

“After finalizing the text of the Agreement, both sides expressed optimism toward the signing of the Agreement in the second quarter of 2025,” the DND said in a statement.

Once formalized, the SOVFA is expected to strengthen defense cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) by facilitating joint training and military exercises.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. earlier said that the agreement’s role in both countries’ is to resist China’s unilateral narrative to change international law.

The Philippine negotiating panel included officials from the DND, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and Department of Justice (DOJ), among them Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces Undersecretary Antonio Habulan Jr.

On the New Zealand side, representatives from the MoD, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment participated virtually from Wellington. The delegation was also joined by New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Catherine McIntosh and other Embassy officials.