00:00The 48th ASEAN Summit have come to a close in Cebu, Philippines, with energy security taking center stage amid global
00:07oil shocks linked to the Middle East conflict.
00:10Our correspondent, Farhana Sheh, is on the ground with the report.
00:15I'm here in Cebu, Philippines, where ASEAN leaders have wrapped up the 48th ASEAN Summit,
00:20with the Middle East crisis and its impact on energy security dominating discussions.
00:24Now, leaders endorsed a joint statement outlining ASEAN's collective response to the crisis,
00:30highlighting how escalating tensions in the Middle East have direct implications for Southeast Asian economies that remain heavily dependent on
00:38energy imports.
00:39And this urgency was highlighted during the plenary session earlier today by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
00:46For ASEAN, these challenges are deeply felt by our people through higher living costs,
00:52supply disruptions, threatened livelihoods, economic strain, growing vulnerability,
00:59both in our homelands and amongst our nationals in the Middle East.
01:04It is a stark reminder that in an increasingly uncertain world,
01:10we call for our collective action, and it has never been more urgent.
01:15So we must continue to uphold the principles of ASEAN centrality and solidarity and pursue practical cooperation.
01:25Energy security remain a central team throughout the three-day summit.
01:30ASEAN is moving to strengthen regional coordination through the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement, ABSA,
01:36allowing member states to support one another in the event of fuel shortages,
01:40while also advancing longer-term solutions, including the ASEAN power grid and stronger coordination on food security,
01:47both seen as critical to reducing vulnerability to external shocks.
01:51Now, similar concerns and sentiments were echoed by ASEAN leaders,
01:54including our Prime Minister, Datuk Sri Anwar Ibrahim,
01:57who also highlighted the ASEAN-GCC China cooperation as a value-added platform to strengthen regional energy security.
02:04On the regional front, ASEAN continues to navigate long-standing tensions
02:09while a final code of conduct for the South China Sea remains elusive,
02:12leaders expressed optimism with more frequent negotiations expected.
02:16There were also no major breakthroughs on Myanmar,
02:19which continues to be represented by non-political envoys,
02:22although member states reiterated their commitment to the five-point consensus.
02:26As for the Thailand-Cambodia border tensions,
02:28the Philippines facilitated discussions yesterday,
02:30with both leaders expressing renewed efforts for peace and dialogue.
02:35Beyond immediate crisis, the summit also marked a significant institutional development.
02:40Leaders endorsed the SIBU Protocol,
02:42the first amendment to the ASEAN Charter since its adoption in 2007,
02:47signalling efforts to strengthen the bloc's institutional framework,
02:50including in support of Timor-Leste's integration.
02:53Taken together, these developments point to a broader shift within ASEAN.
02:58The bloc is not only responding to immediate global pressures,
03:02but also strengthening its internal structures
03:04to navigate an increasingly uncertain and fragmented geopolitical landscape.
03:09This is Fahna Sheeh reporting from SIBU, Philippines,
03:12only for Awani International.
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