Leaders of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to hold their annual summit in the Philippines on Friday, with the regional talks expected to be dominated by economic uncertainty and the continuing Middle East crisis.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who chairs this year's summit, will lead discussions on how the region can ensure the supply of food and energy, as well as the safety of Southeast Asian workers amid tensions in the Middle East.
"Through regional cooperation we help trade flowing, avoid unnecessary restrictions and maintain investors' confidence," Philippine Trade Undersecretary Allan Gefty said ahead of the summit.
"However, the current crisis also underscores the need to deepen that cooperation. National responses alone are not sufficient, we must strengthen regional coordination particularly in energy security, food security, logistics and supply chain resilience."
Nations in South-East Asia have been particularly hard hit by the economic fallout from the war in Iran, due to their dependence on oil deliveries via the Strait of Hormuz.
Leaders are expected to issue a joint statement on how they plan to respond to the crisis, according to a Philippine foreign affairs official.
East Timor, which was admitted as the 11th member of ASEAN in Malaysia in October last year, will be joining the summit this year for the first time.
The regional bloc is also expected to discuss the continued integration of East Timor, the latest developments in Myanmar and the continuing tensions in the South China Sea between China and some ASEAN member nations.
On Thursday, a series of ministerial-level meetings are to be conducted.
