Southeast Asian leaders are set to issue a contingency plan that reaffirms core principles of international law, sovereignty, and freedom of navigation, in what is widely interpreted as a veiled rebuke to the United States, Israel, and Iran over the ongoing Middle East conflict, according to a draft declaration obtained by The Associated Press.
Summit in Cebu
The declaration will be released during the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday, hosted by the Philippines on the central island province of Cebu. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., this year's host, has indicated that the summit will prioritize energy security, food supply, and the protection of over a million Southeast Asian workers and seafarers in the Middle East.
Marcos has ordered the gathering to be stripped of its traditional pomp in recognition of global economic headwinds, reflecting the seriousness of the situation.
Regional Concerns
Southeast Asia, a volatile but economically fast-growing region of approximately 680 million people, faces its own flashpoints, including territorial disputes with China, a civil war in Myanmar, and a border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. However, leaders have expressed grave concern over the Middle East war, which has caused global economic disruptions and endangered many of their citizens. Several workers from the region, including two from the Philippines, have been killed in the fighting, and thousands have been evacuated or returned home.
The Asian Development Bank warned in March, about a month after hostilities erupted, that prolonged disruptions could choke growth and spur inflation in Asia and the Pacific, given their heavy dependence on Middle Eastern oil and gas.
Key Provisions of the Draft Declaration
The draft statement emphasizes the importance of upholding international law and ensuring regional cooperation anchored in dialogue, trust, and respect for sovereignty. It calls for maintaining open, transparent, and predictable markets, as well as secure and open sea lanes, ensuring freedom of navigation and safe transit for vessels and aircraft in international straits. This is intended to preserve the unimpeded flow of essential goods, including food, energy, and key inputs, in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The ASEAN leaders will affirm their shared resolve to fortify regional resilience through a contingency plan that includes:
- Ratifying an agreement for coordinated emergency fuel sharing, possibly this year.
- Planning a regional power grid.
- Diversifying crude oil sources.
- Promoting electric vehicle use.
- Studying new technologies, including civilian nuclear energy.
- Establishing a possible ASEAN crisis communication and coordination protocol for coherent, timely, and coordinated regional responses.
ASEAN Membership
Aside from the Philippines, ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. East Timor was accepted as a full member in October of the previous year.
