Southeast Asia’s leaders confront fallout from Iran war at ASEAN summit

Southeast Asian leaders have gathered in the Philippines to coordinate a joint response to the fallout from the war on Iran, which has prompted a surge in energy prices across the region. Speaking at the opening of the gathering of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the United States-Israeli war on Iran had been felt “through higher living costs” and “threatened livelihoods” both in “our homelands and amongst our nationals in the Middle East”. Recommended Stories list of 4 items end of list Marcos said ASEAN, an 11-member bloc that includes the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, should “strengthen coordination” and “pursue practical collective measures to safeguard a stable energy supply and improve interconnectivity”. Southeast Asia has been among the regions hardest hit by the conflict and Iran’s effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, which has blocked a large portion of the region’s supply of oil and natural gas. ASEAN, whose members represent more than 700 million people, is set to issue a joint statement calling for the reopening of the strait and improved crisis communication and coordination, according to a leaked draft seen by multiple media outlets, including The Associated Press and Channel News Asia. The bloc’s statement will also focus on how member countries can work together on energy and food security, according to the draft. …