The Middle East crisis is set to dominate the ASEAN summit on 8 May, shifting focus away from regional diplomacy.
When regional leaders convene for the high-level ASEAN summit on Friday, the agenda will centre on the escalating crisis in the Middle East rather than local issues.
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said the summit’s priorities have been realigned to address energy security, stabilise food supplies, and protect millions of ASEAN nationals working in the region. The shift reflects concern over the economic and humanitarian fallout from tensions in the Persian Gulf.
Analysts warn that economic pressures linked to the Middle East conflict are likely to overshadow long-standing regional concerns.
“I do think that the Middle East crisis is a significant one, and it's absolutely in the minds of the ASEAN leaders to really tackle it,” said Waffaa Kharisma of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. “Again, the chairship in the Philippines has uttered different initiatives that they're trying to pursue to respond to the crisis, to respond to the energy and food security crisis.”
Pressure on Southeast Asian leaders has intensified since the conflict escalated following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran at the end of February. The resulting threat to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has added uncertainty to global energy markets.
For ASEAN nations, which depend heavily on imported hydrocarbons, costs for fuel, fertilisers and food have risen sharply.
Governments have already begun responding. In recent weeks, member states have held emergency ministerial meetings on energy procurement, macroeconomic coordination and food security to curb inflation and prevent domestic unrest.
The crisis is expected to test the Philippines’ leadership of ASEAN as it seeks to coordinate a unified response while keeping internal issues on the agenda.
One key concern is the situation in the South China Sea. Discussions are expected to include slow progress on a long-delayed Code of Conduct. Tensions between Manila and China have risen in recent months, with repeated maritime incidents.
China continues to claim most of the sea, despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling that rejected those claims.
Prospects for progress remain limited. Kharisma said economic pressures could complicate ASEAN’s approach, as member states balance trade ties with China against security concerns.
“There’s going to be balances even for the Philippines themselves… in a new era such as this where there's no single superpower that we can immediately trust in terms of defending a rules-based order,” she said, referring to tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Despite these challenges, Manila has expressed confidence in ASEAN’s role. Spokesperson Dominic Imperial said consensus-building would be essential.
“There are 11 ASEAN members, and the collective voice is very important,” he said. “While countries can act bilaterally, it is equally important to highlight ASEAN’s role as a bloc. Only through a unified stance can we effectively navigate these overlapping crises.”
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade ...
With governments focused on conflicts in the Gulf and Ukraine, China is pressing ahead with a more assertive military and strategic posture across ...
The United States is pushing to establish a formal deconfliction mechanism between Israel, Türkiye and Syr...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Ukraine has targeted at least 20 Wildberries warehouses across Russia since 18 July, disrupting a major logistics network. Kyiv says the strikes aim to disrupt alleged military-linked supplies, while the attacks have caused billions of dollars in losses and wider economic pressure.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Azerbaijan exported goods worth $17.372 million to Armenia between January and July 2026, according to data from the State Customs Committee, as commercial ties between the two South Caucasus neighbours showed signs of expansion.
Kyrgyzstan is seeking to boost fuel imports from China as it looks to diversify supplies and reduce the risks of its heavy reliance on Russia.
At least 42 children were injured in an explosion at an educational centre in western Kabul on Monday, sparking international calls for a full investigation.
Uzbekistan could lose up to $1.5 billion if escalating Middle East tensions disrupt vital trade and logistics routes through Iran, putting pressure on supply chains and the wider economy.
Azerbaijan has summoned Russia’s ambassador in Baku over recent Russian media comments it described as insulting, provocative and threatening towards the country, its people and leadership.
Israel and the United States have agreed to establish two working groups on Gaza’s future as Washington pushes to turn a fragile ceasefire into a broader political and security arrangement.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment