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Anadolu Agency (21 July 2026)

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) formally opened their annual meeting in Manila on Tuesday with a call for unity and collective action as the region faces mounting geopolitical uncertainty, maritime tensions and persistent conflicts.

Opening the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro said the region must respond with “active, deliberate problem solving” to a world marked by “upheaval, uncertainty and unpredictability.”

“There is a profound urgency to our work,” Lazaro said, urging member states to pursue “creative solutions and viable pathways, even in the most difficult situations and during the most complex discussions.”

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