The new Chairmanship of ASEAN held this year by the Republic of the Philippine started by organizing, on 29 January 2026, the first ASEAN Foreign Minister’s Retreat (AMM Retreat), in Cebu City, Philippines, under the current dangerous world developments, serious security risks and geopolitical challenges. In the Press Statement, issued by AMM, the Foreign Ministers pointed out: “We acknowledge that the global environment we face today is marked by overlapping pressures, including intensifying geopolitical competition, growing economic uncertainty, and the erosion of multilateral systems and the rules-based order through unilateral actions. We noted that these are compounded by transnational challenges such as climate change, misuse of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, and other increasingly complex security risks that no country can address alone”.
The Foreign Ministers “expressed confidence and support towards the Philippines' priorities and deliverables in 2026, guided by its theme ”Navigating Our Future, Together”, and its three main priorities, namely Peace and Security Anchors, Prosperity Corridors, and People Empowerment, which are in line with the goals of ASEAN Community building and in continuing to build upon the previous ASEAN Chairships’ priorities and achievements. We emphasised the importance of realising these priorities in advancing ASEAN shared vision of a resilient, innovative, dynamic, people-centred community, and in ensuring ASEAN’s continued role as a key player in the global community and in charting the future of the region. We looked forward to the implementation of these initiatives with pragmatism and determination under the Chairship of the Philippines”.
According to our opinion, preserving Unity of the Association, maintaining ASEAN Centrality, solution to the Myanmar situation, guarantying peace, security and stability in the region, the situation in the South China Sea, peaceful resolution of disputes, upholding regionalism and multilateralism in international relations represent key targets of utmost importance and of no compromise for ASEAN. Certainly, there are other important subjects of the same value. It was noted that this year the Southeast Asian Nations and their partners will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), while the process for adherence to TAC is still open to new members. Romania’s process of adherence to TAC is in the Romanian Parliament.
The Press Statement presents answers to all these significantly important objectives.
Regarding Myanmar it is to be underscored that the process of the general elections was finished on 25 January 2026, with a victory claimed by the military regime. However, in the Press Statement it is only mentioned that “We noted the conclusion of the three phases of the general elections”. By far, Myanmar situation is not solved and will continue to be sensible matter for ASEAN, including for the Chairmanship of the Republic of the Philippines.
Ambassador (p) Gheorghe Savuica
For the full content of the Press Statement, please open the link:
* The author is the Founder and President of IRSEA and Founder and Honorary President of Romania-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is a graduate of Moscow State Institute of International Relations. As a career diplomat with over four decades of diplomatic service, an University recognized specialist on Southeast Asia and ASEAN, speaker of Bahasa Indonesia, Russian and English, he represented Romania as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Pakistan and Indonesia and Chief of Mission, with Cabinet Letter, to Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Philippines, Cyprus, Finland and Estonia.
He published multiple articles, thought-pieces and commentaries reflecting his views on current dynamics in International Affairs and the ongoing developments related to the greater scope of Europe Asia relations. He authored several major chapters in edited volumes on Romania’s Foreign Policy, published by the Romanian Academy.
Ambassador (p) Savuica is a former Director of the Republic of Moldova Division, former Director of the Asia Pacific Division and former Director General of the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of ROMANIA.
He is married and has two daughters, a granddaughter and a grandson.