Philippine President: Escalation in Middle East threaten ASEAN countries

Escalating tensions in the Middle East have posed risks to the security of citizens of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and disrupted transportation links, energy supplies, and food deliveries, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. said at the opening ceremony of the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila, Report informs via the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

The president described geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty as among the main challenges facing ASEAN member states.

"Earlier this year, at the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, we were confronted with this reality: developments in the Middle East endangered the safety of ASEAN citizens and disrupted transportation links, as well as energy and food supplies," Marcos said.

According to him, amid growing tensions in the region, ASEAN leaders even considered postponing the previous summit in order to focus on urgent domestic challenges.

"However, during our consultations, we reached a unanimous conclusion: ASEAN must come together now in order to formulate a decisive response," the Philippine president stressed.