CEBU, (Philippines): Asean is better able to shape outcomes and manage the disruptions and shocks of a more fragmented world when it works together as a bloc, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Saturday (May 9).
This solidarity was clearly articulated by all leaders of the 11-member grouping the day before, with everyone agreeing on the urgent need to keep Asean strong and united and to continue advancing integration efforts, he added.
They had issued a joint statement on the situation in the Middle East and also a declaration on maritime cooperation at the end of the day-long Asean Summit in Cebu.
Speaking to Singapore media at the end of his trip, PM said: “We had candid discussions on the nature of the conflict that we were confronting.
“We were focused on the challenges, and everyone agreed we had to do more to strengthen our collective resilience, and particularly, to strengthen energy and food security. So it was a very fruitful meeting.”
He added that the solidarity and unity of Asean will become even more salient in the new global environment characterised by a more fragmented and competitive geopolitical landscape.
“It’s less about rules and more about power. It’s less about economics and more about security. It’s less about efficiency and more about resilience,” he said.
In this new normal, individual countries, particularly those that are smaller and medium-sized,will find it much harder to navigate challenges.
By working together, Asean will have a greater collective voice, said PM Wong.
There is tremendous value in knowing that the 11 member states have the ability to work together as a group, he added.
The clear consensus on ratifying the regional pacts on energy and security are an expression of this solidarity, he said.
Amid the energy and trade disruptions brought by the war in Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, PM Wong and his counterparts had called for the swift ratification of the Asean Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA) and the upgraded Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA).
APSA, which was recently renewed in 2025, sets out a framework for the sharing of petroleum during emergencies, while ATIGA includes crisis-related provisions and commitments on trade in essential goods, such as food and medical supplies.
Asked about whether any timeline had been set for the pacts to come into force, PM Wong said: “There was clear consensus at the meeting that we should ratify expeditiously.
“Of course, every country will have to operate on its own domestic timelines, but we certainly hope that each one will do so as fast as possible.”
He added that there were also new ideas discussed during the meeting, which he hoped would continue in the next summit or when Singapore assumes chairmanship in 2027.
This included ideas around a regional fuel stockpile.
Citing the Asean Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve established in 2011 that earmarks rice supplies for a regional stockpile, PM Wong said leaders at the meeting had discussed if something similar could be done for energy, whether within Asean or with external partners.
But talks are at a very early stage and have not been fleshed out, and Asean ministers will need to explore if there is interest and it is something worth pursuing, he said.
Whether it is APSA, ATIGA or another agreement, the arrangements will facilitate mutual support between member states and bring concrete benefits to each countries’ people and businesses, he added.
“Because it means Asean comes together, we provide mutual support, we reduce our vulnerability, and we cushion the impact of any shock on our businesses and workers,” he said of the stronger supply chains that will result.
Plans for Singapore’s chairmanship in 2027
Singapore is slated to assume the chairmanship of Asean in 2027, taking over from the Philippines.
The Asean chairmanship is rotated among members in alphabetical order, and it will be Thailand’s turn in 2028.
On Singapore’s priorities as chair, PM Wong said it is still being worked out.
The key themes will revolve around strengthening collective resilience, advancing integration efforts, and advancing the community-building agenda, said PM Wong.
“These are broad priorities that, in a way, have been reflected in previous years’ chairmanship, so they have to continue,” he said.
“But of course, the specific measures, the specific focus, will differ from chair to chair. And we are working on what we will focus on when we take over as chair next year.”
The issue of Myanmar will likely also feature during Singapore’s chairmanship, said PM Wong who had raised the topic during the retreat session of the summit on May 8.
He said Singapore will continue with the ongoing efforts to bring Myanmar back into the fold through the Five Point Consensus.
The peace plan was drafted in 2021 after Myanmar plunged into a civil war following a military coup.
“Asean has an agreed framework for this, which is the Five Point Consensus, and we also agreed that we maintain that framework,” said PM Wong.
The issue is complex and difficult, he said, adding that while there have been recent developments including the release of prisoners and the reduction of prison sentences, more needs to be done.
He added that there was a need to see progress for the peace plan to be fully implemented and that would require inclusive and constructive dialogue with all the key stakeholders in Myanmar.
“It cannot be imposed from anyone from outside, so we have to be patient,” he said.
“But at the same time Asean will not be passive. We will continue to engage Myanmar authorities. We will want to encourage them to take concrete steps forward, and we have to do it in a step-by-step manner.”
Singapore will coordinate its efforts with the current chair, the Philippines. “Next year, when Singapore takes over as chair, we will certainly continue with these efforts too.” - The Straits Times/ANN
