Indonesia Pushes for Acceleration of ASEAN Friendship Treaty

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono has urged the acceleration of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in Cebu, Philippines, on Thursday.

In a written statement received in Jakarta on Thursday, Sugiono encouraged ASEAN to be more coordinated in advancing stronger internal cohesion and more impactful external engagement in addressing the current geopolitical situation.

“In an increasingly turbulent world, ASEAN remains a trusted, stable, and reliable partner; as demonstrated by the increasing number of accessions to the TAC. We must also accelerate the process because it is very clear that ASEAN is trusted by our external partners,” Sugiono said.

In that context, ASEAN’s inclusive approach remains key to promoting more constructive external engagement.

Regarding the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Sugiono stated that ASEAN needs a more forward-looking approach towards the moratorium on dialogue partners, and reaffirmed Indonesia’s support for Turkey to become a full ASEAN dialogue partner.

Ahead of the 48th ASEAN Summit on Friday (8/5), a series of ministerial-level meetings were held on Thursday, including the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and the 31st Meeting of the ASEAN Political-Security Community Council (APSC).

ASEAN is also commemorating the 50th anniversary of the TAC this year, marking five decades of peace, stability, and regional cooperation. To date, 57 countries have signed the ASEAN TAC, with Algeria and Uruguay signing the ASEAN TAC in 2025.