Philippine chair urges bloc to ‘navigate our future together’ as ministers tackle Myanmar, economic resilience
Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at the Philippine International Convention Centre on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 in Pasay city, Philippines. PHOTO: REUTERS
Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) formally opened their annual meeting in Manila on Tuesday with a call for unity and collective action as the region faces mounting geopolitical uncertainty, maritime tensions and persistent conflicts.
Opening the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P Lazaro said the region must respond with “active, deliberate problem solving” to a world marked by “upheaval, uncertainty and unpredictability.”
“There is a profound urgency to our work,” Lazaro said, urging member states to pursue “creative solutions and viable pathways, even in the most difficult situations and during the most complex discussions.”
Invoking the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN chairmanship theme, Navigating Our Future, Together, she said: “We do not just drift with the tide; we steer the ship as we chart the course.”
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Lazaro described the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), which marks its 50th anniversary this year, as ASEAN’s “most reliable anchor,” saying its principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, non-interference and the peaceful settlement of disputes remain the foundation of regional stability. “In a fractured global landscape, no single nation can weather these storms alone. Our strength and resilience lie in our community,” she said. “If we do not move forward as one, we risk being pulled apart.”
The ministers are expected to review progress across ASEAN’s political-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars before forwarding recommendations to leaders at the ASEAN Summit in November.
Discussions will also focus on strengthening ASEAN centrality, advancing regional integration under the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, and enhancing cooperation with external partners.
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Regional security issues are expected to dominate the week-long meetings, including efforts to revive ASEAN’s stalled peace initiative in Myanmar, negotiations with China on a long-delayed South China Sea code of conduct, and the economic fallout from conflicts beyond the region, including disruptions to global energy and trade routes.
The Manila meetings, running through July 24, will also include gatherings with ASEAN’s dialogue partners, the ASEAN Plus Three, the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum, bringing together major powers including the United States, China, Russia, Japan, India and the European Union to discuss regional and global security challenges.
