U.S.-Philippines Strategic Initiative Official Launch

The CSIS Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies is pleased to host the official launch of the U.S.-Philippines Strategic Initiative, featuring remarks by Albert del Rosario, secretary of foreign affairs of the Philippines, and William Cohen, chairman and CEO of The Cohen Group and former U.S. secretary of defense. A reception will follow at 5:00 p.m.

The U.S.-Philippines Strategic Initiative is a three-year project which will serve a leading role in advancing a high-level policy dialogue on trends in the U.S. Philippine alliance in the context of Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.

Secretary del Rosario first entered public service when he was appointed the Philippines’ ambassador to the United States in 2001 after a successful career in the private sector. As ambassador, del Rosario was instrumental in strengthening ties between the Philippines and the United States, including enhancing bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism and peace and development in Mindanao. He was sworn in as secretary of foreign affairs in 2011.

Secretary Cohen has led a storied career as a public servant beginning with his election to the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of Maine in 1973. He soon became a senator in 1978. In 1997, Cohen became the U.S. secretary of defense under President Bill Clinton, where he played a pivotal role in strengthening U.S. military relationships around the globe. He has since retired from public service and serves as chairman and CEO of The Cohen Group.