ASEAN to hold second special meeting on Middle East crisis Friday

ASEAN foreign ministers are scheduled to meet online Friday to follow up their discussion on the situation in the Middle East and its impacts on regional economies, according to an information source.

The current ASEAN chair, the Philippines, is calling a second special foreign ministerial meeting on April 10 to address the escalating crisis in the Middle East following the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo Lazaro has held consultations with his ASEAN colleagues about the necessity of the bloc’s leaders meeting to assess the worsening situation and coordinate a regional response, the source added.

The month-old war has disrupted energy supplies, trade flows and economic stability across Southeast Asia.

The virtual special meeting comes less than a month after ASEAN foreign ministers held an emergency session expressing concern over rising hostilities in the Middle East and urging restraint and diplomacy.

Last week, the Philippines declared a national energy emergency in response to the US-Israel war with Iran.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has significantly heightened risks to ASEAN economies, many of which depend heavily on imported energy shipped through the strategic waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil trade, making any disruption a major concern for energy-importing regions such as Southeast Asia.

The source said that the upcoming meeting will focus on mitigating the economic fallout, ensuring energy security and safeguarding regional supply chains. ASEAN ministers are also expected to discuss contingency measures, including diversification of energy sources and strengthening intra-ASEAN cooperation.

The bloc is also likely to reiterate its earlier calls for de-escalation, adherence to international law and the protection of civilians, while maintaining its long-standing position of neutrality in major power conflicts.

The second emergency meeting comes amid growing concern within ASEAN that the crisis could evolve into a prolonged disruption with global consequences.