ASEAN foreign ministers convene in Philippines amid global energy concerns

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met on Thursday in the Philippines ahead of the bloc’s summit as the region faces a significant energy crisis linked to the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran. The meeting was chaired by Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, according to a statement. The Philippines is the current chair of the bloc. The ministers discussed issues of strategic importance, "including the evolving energy crisis and the implications of the situation in the Middle East on the region.”