Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to focus on the global energy crisis and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East during a summit on the Philippine island of Cebu, reports Al Jazeera.
The two-day meeting, taking place on Thursday and Friday, will bring together leaders along with foreign and economic ministers from the 11-member regional bloc. Discussions are expected to centre on energy and food security, key concerns for the region’s nearly 700 million people.
Analysts say the worsening fuel crisis will be a major challenge for the Philippines, which currently chairs ASEAN, as it seeks to coordinate a unified regional response while also addressing internal regional issues.
These include Myanmar’s ongoing civil war and the unresolved border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, both of which remain important concerns for the bloc.
Geopolitical analyst Don McLain Gill of De La Salle University told the media that efforts to reduce the economic impact of the crisis may eventually overshadow other immediate regional issues on the ASEAN agenda.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
