“As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced during his visit to the Philippines in July last year, Japan will strengthen its support to the Mindanao peace process through the assistance for community development, capacity-building in transition period, sustainable economic development in Mindanao, and other methods,” Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Fumio Kishida said in a statement posted on the website of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On Saturday, government and MILF negotiators signed the annex on normalization that would pave the way for a comprehensive peace agreement.
Kishida said Japan “heartily welcomes” the successful conclusion of the peace effort last weekend in Kuala Lumpur.
“Having a firm belief that the peace in Mindanao will lead to the peace and stability in this region, Japan has extended its support to the peace process for years. It is great pleasure that Japan contributed to the progress of the peace process,” he said.
Kishida also commended the efforts made by the Philippine government, the MILF, and the Malaysian government as facilitator.
“Japan strongly hopes that the parties concerned will continue their efforts to steadily implement the transition process including the enactment of the Bangsamoro Basic Law and the establishment of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority towards the realization of the Bangsamoro Government,” he said. — BM, GMA News
