00:00As you know, the Philippines declared a state of national energy emergency on 24 March this year
00:07in response to the deepening effects of the Middle East conflict on our energy security.
00:13This declaration necessitated a recalibration of our ASEAN hosting commitments this year,
00:20including the shift to virtual modalities for the majority of our ASEAN meetings
00:25and scaling down of arrangements for meetings that would still need to be conducted in person,
00:31such as this summit.
00:34The scaling down is the view of the sensitivities considering the prevailing situation.
00:39Nevertheless, even as current developments may demand additional attention
00:45and practical coordinated cooperation, ASEAN remains directly and ready to address existing priorities.
00:54Under the Philippines' chairship theme, Navigating Our Future Together,
00:59we approach this meeting with the understanding that navigating uncertainty requires both agility
01:05in responding to immediate and pressing challenges and steadfast commitment
01:10in pursuing our long-term goals as under the ASEAN Community 2045.
01:16As we convene today, we do so at a particularly consequential moment for our region.
01:23The ongoing crisis in the Middle East and its far-reaching repercussions,
01:28including the disruptions to energy flows, trade routes, food supply chains,
01:34and the welfare of our nationals, remind us that developments beyond our region
01:39can have immediate and profound effects on ASEAN.
01:42For ASEAN, which imports about 66% of its crude oil, this crisis meant significant increase
01:49in fuel and energy costs, which eventually led to higher prices for agricultural inputs,
01:57food, and basic commodities.
01:59The crisis also caused disruptions in some sectors, including transportation and tourism,
02:05and put a risk millions of ASEAN nationals in the Middle East.
02:09Against this backdrop, we convened two special meetings of the foreign ministers
02:15to discuss ASEAN's collective response to the effects of its situation in the Middle East and our region.
02:22Our discussions reflected ASEAN's resolve to act with urgency, coordinate closely,
02:29and respond effectively to these emerging challenges.
02:33Taking stock of our experience, however, our discussions at the special meetings have pointed out
02:40that ASEAN needs to strengthen our crisis coordination and institutional readiness in times of crisis.
02:47In the midst of these developments, we remain steadfast in our resolve to consider important issues
02:54related to ASEAN community building, including the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia,
02:59which is in its golden jubilee this year, and Timor-Leste's post-submission integration,
03:06or rather post-admission integration.
03:09We will also continue to discuss matters related to ASEAN's external relations,
03:14ensuring that the partnerships support ASEAN centrality.
03:18Finally, as a special envoy of ASEAN chair on Myanmar,
03:22I will provide a briefing on the updates on the situation in Myanmar
03:26and the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.
03:29In closing, I thank you for your presence today,
03:34and I look forward to our productive discussions this morning.
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