ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (2026)

59th ASEAN Ministers of Foreign Affairs Meeting began on 21 July 2026 in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Southeast Asian Nations Association (ASEAN) foreign ministers and senior diplomats attended the meeting, during which various issues concerning regional and global security agendas were discussed. Representatives from Türkiye, the United States of America, China, Russia, Japan and European Union countries also participated in the sessions held under the summit.

The meetings, scheduled to last until 24 July, assessed geopolitical developments, energy supply security, trade, food security, regional economic cooperation, the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, and the impact of renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran on the international system. The meetings were conducted with the aim of strengthening ASEAN’s coordination mechanisms in the fields of regional security and diplomacy.

^{2026 ASEAN Dışişleri Bakanları Toplantısı - 19 Temmuz, 2026 (Anadolu Ajansı)}

In the joint statement issued after the meeting, ASEAN foreign ministers expressed deep concern over the resumption of hostilities between the United States and Iran. The statement noted that these developments negatively affected diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.

ASEAN countries called on the parties to exercise maximum restraint and urged them to avoid actions that could further escalate tensions. The statement also emphasized the importance of ending all hostilities across all fronts in the Middle East.

The joint statement also expressed concern over discriminatory or unilateral attempts to block vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. It was assessed that the continuation of tensions in the region could have adverse consequences for international trade, global supply chains, energy markets, food security and agricultural production.

At the ASEAN meetings, not only developments in the Middle East but also security issues directly affecting Southeast Asia were addressed. The ongoing civil war in Myanmar, the implementation process of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus, and sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea were among the top agenda items.

Recent tensions between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea were also a major topic of diplomatic discussions. Negotiations continued toward finalizing the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, long under discussion between ASEAN and China. It was also reported that bilateral talks between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi were expected during the summit.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan announced that, following the decision adopted by ASEAN foreign ministers in Manila, Türkiye has been recognized as an ASEAN Dialogue Partner. Thus, Türkiye has attained one of the highest levels of cooperation mechanisms within ASEAN, immediately following member state status.

In a statement posted on his social media account, Fidan said:

"Türkiye has been recognized as an ASEAN Dialogue Partner following the decision taken by ASEAN foreign ministers in Manila. Thus, we have reached a position immediately following member state status, previously held by only 11 countries. I extend my sincere thanks to my foreign minister colleagues who supported us throughout the process, to the Philippines as Chair, and to the ASEAN Secretariat." ^【1】

Fidan stated that this newly acquired status will enhance Türkiye’s diplomatic engagement in the Asia-Pacific region and add a new dimension to its long-term strategic cooperation with ASEAN.

In the continuation of his statement, he added:

"Since laying the foundation of our institutional relations with ASEAN in 2010, we have expanded cooperation with ASEAN countries in all areas and increased our trade volume from 6.5 billion to 16 billion U.S. dollars. With the Dialogue Partner status, we believe our political and economic cooperation with the ASEAN region, which has a population of approximately 700 million and an economy exceeding 4 trillion U.S. dollars, will deepen further. I wish this new chapter to be auspicious for our country and all ASEAN members."^【2】

Türkiye initiated its institutional relations with ASEAN in 2010 and gradually enhanced political, economic and commercial cooperation in subsequent years. A formal application for ASEAN Dialogue Partner status was submitted in 2024 and was accepted in July 2026 following the decision taken in Manila.

With the Dialogue Partner status, Türkiye aims to participate more actively in ASEAN’s political consultation mechanisms, expand economic cooperation, and elevate its relations with the Asia-Pacific region, home to approximately 700 million people, to a more institutionalized level. This development is regarded as a significant milestone in Türkiye’s Multilateral Diplomatic Opening policy under its Asia Reengagement Initiative.