Overview
- ASEAN leaders met in Cebu on Friday and issued a statement to shore up energy and food security as the Middle East crisis drives fuel spikes and disrupts shipping.
- The bloc discussed early activation of the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement, an emergency oil‑sharing plan designed for members to lend oil to one another during shortages.
- Leaders explored cross‑border electricity sharing and faster renewable energy buildouts to reduce reliance on Middle Eastern crude.
- The statement urged reopening the Strait of Hormuz and pressed for stronger consular coordination to protect ASEAN workers based in the region.
- On Myanmar, ASEAN agreed to let the junta’s foreign minister join an upcoming foreign ministers’ meeting online, a limited step that stops short of recognition and leaves member differences unresolved.