Asia & Pacific
The final day of the 59th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) shifted the focus from pressing security challenges to strengthening the bloc's engagement with external partners. The agenda featured new accessions to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and a high-level conference on preventive diplomacy, maritime security and emerging security challenges.
Philippines Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro and other leaders attend a group photo session during the High-Level Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila, on July 24, 2026. (Pool via REUTERS/Aaron Favila)
ASEAN wrapped up a week of ministerial talks in Manila on Friday by reaffirming its commitment to peaceful dispute resolution and stronger cooperation with external partners, as regional conflicts and intensifying geopolitical rivalry continue to test the bloc's unity and centrality. The final day of the 59th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), hosted by the Philippines, shifted the focus from pressing security challenges to strengthening the bloc's engagement with external partners.
