The Philippines will host ASEAN foreign ministers and senior officials in Manila from July 18 to 24 for a series of regional meetings, including discussions on Myanmar’s political situation and the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), Philippine News Agency reported.
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson for ASEAN Affairs Dax Imperial said all ASEAN foreign ministers are expected to attend except Myanmar, which will be represented by its permanent secretary.
The meetings will include an informal consultation with Myanmar on the implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus, a framework aimed at addressing the country’s ongoing political crisis.
Foreign ministers from Australia, New Zealand, India, Japan and the European Union are also expected to participate in the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related discussions.
The gathering will also include AMM-Post Ministerial Conferences with dialogue partners, the ASEAN Plus Three meeting involving China, Japan and South Korea, as well as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
The ARF serves as a platform for dialogue and cooperation on security issues affecting the Indo-Pacific region, bringing together ASEAN members, major dialogue partners and other participating countries.
Imperial said the DFA is still awaiting confirmation from some foreign ministers and representatives, including the attendance of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The ASEAN Regional Forum comprises 27 members, including the 11 ASEAN countries, dialogue partners such as Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the US, alongside Bangladesh, North Korea, Mongolia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea.
The meetings will take place as ASEAN continues efforts to maintain regional cooperation amid geopolitical challenges and ongoing developments in Myanmar.
