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 developments in our region and beyond remains vital, particularly during times of heightened global uncertainty.
Earlier today, in my capacity as Chair of ASEAN, I convened a virtual Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the Situation in the Middle East to exchange views on the evolving situation in the region and to address its implications for ASEAN. The Meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers of Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as the SOM or Senior Official Leaders of Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste.
To summarize the important points of discussions:
One, We expressed serious concern over the situation in the Middle East and its impacts in the region and emphasized the importance of the immediate cessation of hostilities, called on all parties to exercise utmost self-restraint and resolve differences through diplomacy and dialogue, respect international law including the Charter of the United Nations, in the interest of maintaining peace and stability in the region.
Two, we also agreed to strengthen our cooperation and work more closely to respond more rapidly to the challenges impacting our region. We also agreed to continue monitoring the situation in the Middle East and to coordinate our actions to address its implications for ASEAN.
On energy security, we also discussed the adverse impacts of the conflict in the Middle East on global economic activity, particularly on energy markets and maritime transport routes, and underscored the importance of maintaining stable, open, and reliable global and regional energy supply chains and maritime trade routes. We stressed the importance of utilizing available mechanisms to mitigate the impacts of the crisis, including the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security, ASEAN Power Grid, and Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline, in coordination with relevant sectoral bodies, ASEAN mechanisms and existing external cooperation frameworks such as ASEAN Plus Three and ASEAN-GCC and industry partners. We also stressed the importance of strengthened intra-ASEAN trade and increased utilization of renewable energy as viable alternatives to fossil fuels. We also highlighted the importance of closer cross-pillar coordination between ASEAN Foreign and Economic Ministers to promote a more synergized and timely response to crises.
Regarding the protection of ASEAN nationals, we underscored the importance of timely and enhanced coordination and information sharing in accordance with the ASEAN Declaration on the Guidelines on Consular Assistance by ASEAN Member States’ Missions in Third Countries to Nationals of Other ASEAN Member States, and the Guidelines for the Provision of Emergency Assistance by ASEAN Missions in Third Countries to Nationals of ASEAN Member Countries in Crisis Situations. We acknowledged the assistance and efforts made by our fellow ASEAN Member States in this regard.
After this briefing, I will be issuing the ASEAN Chair’s Statement on the Outcomes of the 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.
