The Manila Times

PH convenes Asean meeting

THE Philippines, serving as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in 2026, convened a Senior Officials’ Meeting and called for collective action to sustain the momentum Asean has gained in recent months. The meeting, led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Leo Herrera-Lim, was held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Monday. Anchored on the Philippines’ chairship vision to “lead, sail and rise as one region,” the officials discussed key agenda items, including applications for accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and preparations for the commemorative activity marking the treaty’s 50th anniversary in July. The officials also exchanged views on potential areas of cooperation under the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, reaffirming the region’s commitment to nonproliferation and disarmament. Discussions likewise addressed the importance of sustaining robust engagement with Asean’s external partners to better equip the region in managing shared risks and emerging challenges. In his opening remarks, Herrera-Lim said the bloc has so far “charted a steady course, generating momentum across all three pillars and through key Asean-led mechanisms.” “As we convene for today’s Senior Officials’ Meeting, this progress serves to remind us of how far we can go if only we navigate uncertainty together. It is in this context that I encourage all of us to capitalize on the momentum that we have generated in our engagements,” he said. The meeting marked the fourth convening of Asean senior officials under the Philippines’ chairship. It was held to consolidate gains made following the 48th Asean Summit in Cebu and to advance preparations for the 59th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in July 2026. The upcoming meeting comes amid regional tensions and the conflict in the Middle East following the war involving Iran that broke out in February.

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