Foreign ministers meeting under ASEAN's Philippine chairmanship have wrapped up a series of gatherings in Manila with a set of concrete outcomes, ranging from new partners to a decade-long plan of action. The Philippines, as this year's chair, presented the results of the meetings, which included the annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, the ASEAN Regional Forum and related sessions. Officials framed the outcomes as evidence of what they called ASEAN's enduring convening power at a time of geopolitical tension and transnational challenges.
One of the headline decisions was the admission of a new member to the ASEAN Regional Forum, the bloc's main security dialogue platform. ASEAN announced its collective decision to welcome the United Kingdom as the 28th participant in the forum. The move widens the circle of countries engaging with Southeast Asia on political and security matters, and reflects the growing interest of external partners in ASEAN-led mechanisms. The forum brings together ASEAN members and a range of partner states for dialogue on regional political and security developments.
The ministers also adopted a long-term roadmap for the ASEAN Regional Forum. Known as the Manila Plan of Action 2026-2036, the document is intended to guide the forum's work over the next decade. By setting out priorities for the coming years, the plan aims to give continuity and direction to the forum's agenda on regional political and security developments. Its adoption underlines the effort by the Philippines, as chair, to leave a lasting framework for cooperation that extends well beyond the end of its term.
In a separate but related development, ASEAN moved to expand membership of its Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, a foundational pact for the region. Four new high-contracting parties were welcomed, namely Sweden, Poland, Romania and Lithuania, represented by their respective foreign ministers. ASEAN said it would convene the inaugural high-level conference of high-contracting parties, described as the first gathering of its kind since the treaty was signed in 1976, with sessions focused on conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy, maritime security, and addressing emerging threats and challenges.
On the crisis in Myanmar, the ministers reaffirmed that the so-called five-point consensus remains ASEAN's primary reference for addressing the situation. Building on earlier informal discussions, they examined how the bloc could assess measurable progress in Myanmar, including the prospect of a multi-year, long-term special envoy. The continued focus on Myanmar reflects the difficulty ASEAN has faced in translating its consensus into tangible change on the ground since the country's political crisis deepened.
The meetings also reinforced ASEAN's ties with external partners. The bloc held the 16th East Asia Summit, which brings together ASEAN and eight participating countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States. Officials advanced preparations for the 21st East Asia Summit, due to be held in Manila this coming November, including a proposed leaders' statement on strengthening regional stability and on combating cyber-enabled fraud and related offences. ASEAN also held trilateral meetings with partners including Turkey, Norway, Switzerland and Brazil.