ASEAN summit to go ahead in May, but shortened to ‘bare bones’ programme due to Middle East conflict

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addresses the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., March 10, 2026. 

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said ​on Friday that the ‌ASEAN Leaders’ summit will go ahead in May, ​but will be shortened ​to a “bare-bones” programme that ⁠focuses on addressing issues ​like fuel supplies, food ​prices and migrant workers.

Marcos said he has consulted with his ​counterparts in the ​regional bloc and asked them whether ‌they ⁠preferred to postpone the ASEAN summit due to the conflict in the ​Middle ​East.

“The ⁠consensus that we came to is ​that it is ​precisely ⁠now that we must coordinate our efforts,” Marcos ⁠told ​reporters.

Source: Pacific Geopolitical Research Association (contributing editor).

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