CEBU (Philippines): (Bernama) Asean leaders and representatives began arriving in Cebu on Thursday for the 48th Asean Summit, with energy resilience and food security expected to dominate discussions amid the West Asia conflict.
Among those who arrived on Thursday were Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ahead of the summit’s official opening on Friday (May 8).
Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. also arrived in Cebu on Wednesday, alongside Asean Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and Myanmar Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary U Hau Khan Sum.
The leaders and representatives are scheduled to participate in the Special Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit on Thursday, where discussions will focus on strengthening sub-regional development and connectivity.
They will also attend the BIMP-EAGA Leaders’ Dinner hosted by Marcos and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos.
On Friday, Asean leaders and representatives will attend the 48th Asean Summit, followed by a gala dinner hosted by Marcos and his wife before departing Cebu.
Asean has barred Myanmar’s top military leaders from attending its summits since the junta ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a February 2021 coup, and has allowed only non-political representatives at high-level meetings.
In 2023, Asean announced that Myanmar would not assume the bloc’s rotating chairmanship in 2026.
Cebu, dubbed the Queen City of the South, is hosting the 48th Asean Summit and Related Meetings from May 7 to 8.
The city ranks as the Philippines’ second major international gateway after Manila, and is widely recognised as a primary maritime logistics hub.
Home to over 5 million residents, Cebu serves as a key trading, shipping, and business-processing centre in the southern Philippines.
Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority show Cebu’s economy grew 5.9 per cent in 2024, buoyed by solid performance in the services and industry sectors. - Bernama
