German minister arrives Wednesday for 3-day visit

Germany’s Minister of State Maria Boehmer (R). AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Germany’s Minister of State Maria Boehmer will arrive Wednesday for a three-day official visit, her first to Asia after her appointment last December.

Boehmer will hold talks with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario. She will also monitor the status of German humanitarian aid for the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda, and witness the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement on the Bangsamoro on Thursday.

During her visit, Boehmer will meet with representatives of German aid organizations in the Philippines for an update on relief and rehabilitation efforts on the ground. In a statement issued earlier, she expressed Germany’s unrelenting support for the Philippines in the aftermath of the typhoon: “The devastation caused by Yolanda has triggered an immense outpouring of support from Germany. Shortly after the typhoon hit, German aid organizations were immediately on the ground to assist in the relief efforts. Germany continues to stand by the Philippines in the period of rehabilitation.”

So far, P11 billion (176 million euros) has been contributed by Germany to relief and rehabilitation efforts in the Yolanda-affected regions. Of that amount, P8.7 billion (144 million euros) came from German private donors including the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief and German Red Cross and others. The German government has contributed 32 million euros.

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