ASEAN foreign ministers met to discuss challenges facing the region, including climate change, transboundary haze, online scams and the situation in Myanmar. They also welcomed the formal accession of Cyprus, Slovakia and Slovenia to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, who is in Manila for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, said in a Facebook post on Saturday (14 November) afternoon that the region’s hard-won peace and prosperity must never be taken for granted.

He said: “ASEAN has helped us navigate differences, build trust, and find common ground. These strengths will be even more important as geopolitical uncertainties grow.”

The 49th ASEAN Summit and related meetings will be held from Sunday (15 November) to Tuesday (17 November) in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, which holds the rotating ASEAN chairmanship. At the foreign ministers’ meeting ahead of the summit, ASEAN foreign ministers and ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn also reaffirmed their commitment to working together amid global turbulence to deepen ASEAN integration, strengthen collective resilience and safeguard the region’s future.

Parties to Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia rise to 65

The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia was signed by ASEAN’s five founding members — Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand — at a summit in Bali, Indonesia, in February 1976. It provides a legally binding framework for lasting peace and cooperation among Southeast Asian countries. Signatories later expanded to include the other six ASEAN members, as well as countries outside the region seeking peaceful and friendly cooperation with ASEAN member states.

With the accession of Cyprus, Slovakia and Slovenia, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia now has 65 parties.

In an earlier Facebook post, Vivian Balakrishnan said he had met separately with Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad bin Hasan and Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir on the sidelines of the meeting. They exchanged views on regional developments and ways to strengthen cooperation among the three countries and within ASEAN.

He added: “As close neighbours, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia consult regularly on issues of mutual concern.”