Good Afternoon.
At the outset, allow me to thank the members of the press for joining us today and for your continued engagement with the Department of Foreign Affairs. Your role in helping inform the public about fast-moving developments in our region and beyond remains vital, especially in times of global uncertainty.
Earlier today, in my capacity as Chair of ASEAN, I convened virtually the Second Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the Situation in the Middle East to continue our exchange of views on the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East and to address its implications for ASEAN, including on energy and food security, and to follow up on the outcomes of the last Special Meeting held on 13 March, as well as to discuss the possible way forward, ahead of the 48th ASEAN Summit in May 2026 at Cebu.
The Meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers of Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam, as well as the Senior Official Leaders of Indonesia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar.
To summarize the important points of discussions:
One, we welcomed the announcement on 8 April 2026 of a temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran and urged both parties to continue negotiations that will lead to the permanent end of the conflict and lasting peace and stability in the region. This has been clearly highlighted in our Statement on the Developments in the Middle East which we issued today.
Two, we also agreed to continue strengthening our cooperation and work more closely to respond more rapidly to the challenges impacting ASEAN. We underscored the importance of further strengthening our cooperation to ensure energy security through the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security (APSA), ASEAN Power Grid (APG), Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline (TAGP), and advancing our efforts towards alternative energy sources. The meeting also discussed prioritising energy supply to fellow ASEAN Member States in times of crisis.
On food security, we highlighted the need to strengthen trade with the view to prioritizing support for fellow ASEAN Member States, as needed. We also unscored the importance of strengthening ASEAN cooperation to address the effects of the crisis on food systems, including enhancing information-sharing on supply disruptions, price movements, and policy responses. The Meeting also committed to continued support for ASEAN food security frameworks, such as the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) and ASEAN Food Security Information Sharing System (AFSIS), and to explore, where feasible, joint approaches to securing fertilizer and other critical agricultural inputs, including through a possible standby arrangement for food security, including pharmaceutical products. The meeting highlighted the importance of keeping supply chains open, including through the ratification of the Second Protocol to Upgrade the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) which has provisions on Trade in Humanitarian Crisis Situations.
We also discussed the potential establishment of an ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ crisis communication protocol which may be convened rapidly as needed at our level, to enable timely consultations, information-sharing and policy coordination during major crises affecting the region, with the focus on geo-economic shocks. We also reiterated the importance of convening a Joint AMM-AEM considering the interconnected issues which require coordinated response across sectors. Similarly, we expressed the urgency of convening a meeting among our energy ministers at the earliest opportunity ahead of the planned Special ASEAN Ministers for Energy Meeting (AMEM) on 30 April.
With regard to the safety of our nationals, we expressed our condolences to our fellow ASEAN Member States for the loss of lives of their nationals in the midst of the ongoing conflict and emphasized the need to ensure the safety of seafarers and ships in accordance with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). We stressed the importance of the continued, enhanced, and timely coordination among ASEAN Member States on joint consular efforts to assist ASEAN nationals. We would like to thank as well our external partners who have offered and continue to provide support.
The Philippines, as ASEAN Chair, also reiterated its commitment to proceed with the 48th ASEAN Summit in May 2026 in Cebu, where discussions will center around the three urgent priorities of addressing energy security, food security, and the safety of ASEAN nationals.
After this briefing, I will be issuing the ASEAN Chair’s Statement on the Outcomes of the Second Special Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the Situation in the Middle East, which will be uploaded in the official website of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the ASEAN 2026 Philippines Chairship website, and the official website of ASEAN.
Thank you. I can now answer some of your questions.
