ASEAN officials meet in Manila ahead of 2026 summit

MANILA, April 8, 2026 (KPT) – Senior officials from Southeast Asia have gathered in Manila for the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) as preparations intensify for the 48th ASEAN Summit in May, officials said Tuesday.

The meeting, held in plenary and retreat formats, focused on advancing the priorities of the Philippines as ASEAN Chair for 2026.

Discussions centred on strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing external relations and progressing ASEAN Community-building efforts.

Delegates also reviewed key deliverables ahead of the summit, including coordination among member states and engagement with dialogue partners.

Kung Phoak, Secretary of State and ASEAN SOM Leader for Cambodia, represented the country at the meeting.

Participants included SOM leaders from all ASEAN member states, or their representatives, along with the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the Political-Security Community.

Key issues discussed included Timor-Leste’s accession process, applications to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, and broader efforts to strengthen ASEAN’s external partnerships. The outcomes will feed directly into the leaders’ summit agenda next month.