ASEAN Urged to Remain Agile and United in Facing Global Challenges

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Philippine Foreign Minister Maria Theresa P. Lazaro, who is leading the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting 2026, emphasised the need for ASEAN to remain agile and united in overcoming global challenges, while staying committed to long-term regional objectives.

“Facing uncertainties requires agility in responding to urgent and immediate challenges, as well as steadfast commitment to pursuing our long-term goals under the ASEAN Community Vision 2045,” Lazaro stated in a press release from ASEAN Philippines 2026, accessed by ANTARA in Jakarta on Thursday.

The theme of the ASEAN Philippines 2026 leadership, “Navigating Our Future, Together,” reflects the region’s need to respond effectively to an increasingly uncertain global environment, she said.

She made the statement as ASEAN member countries seek to address the impacts of the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has disrupted energy flows, trade routes, food supply chains, and affected the well-being of ASEAN citizens in the region.

“For ASEAN, which imports around 66 percent of its crude oil, this crisis means a significant increase in fuel and energy costs, which ultimately leads to rises in agricultural inputs, food, and basic commodities prices,” she said.

Furthermore, she noted that the crisis has also caused disruptions in several sectors, including transportation and tourism, and endangers millions of ASEAN citizens in the Middle East.

Lazaro said ASEAN’s experience amid the ongoing crisis also demonstrates the importance of strengthening crisis coordination and institutional preparedness within the regional bloc.

Despite the current challenges, she stated that ASEAN remains committed to advancing key regional priorities related to the development of the ASEAN Community, including the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia; the integration of Timor-Leste following its admission; and efforts to uphold ASEAN Centrality in its external partnerships.

As the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, Lazaro also said she would brief the other ministers on developments in Myanmar and the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.