Singapore urges ASEAN countries to expedite ratification of regional oil security agreement

Kuala Lumpur -- Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Sunday urged the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to expedite the ratification of the Regional Petroleum Security Agreement to bolster the region’s capacity to manage energy crises amid recent disruptions in the Middle East. In his address at the plenary session of the 49th ASEAN Summit held in the Philippines, Wong urged prioritizing the facilitation of cross-border transactions and continuing to engage external partners to support the region’s growth. He noted that “we can expect further turbulence and storms in the coming period, but I am confident that as long as we remain united and cohesive, we will continue to forge our path together,” reiterating the importance of energy security for the region.

Wong pointed out that the adoption of modern technologies is increasing energy and electricity consumption in the economies of member states, calling on ASEAN leaders to prioritize the establishment of an ASEAN Power Grid to interconnect national grids and enable cross-border electricity trading. He added that intensifying international competition and the difficulty of predicting its evolution require ASEAN to deepen cooperation in the digital economy, expand its external partnerships, and enhance its resilience to energy disruptions.

Wong noted that ASEAN leaders had discussed the intensifying global competition during the summit held last May, adding that member states have made progress on issues affecting their peoples since then, including the signing on Saturday of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Digital Economy.

On ASEAN’s external relations, he said that “ASEAN has previously been a battleground for proxy conflicts among major powers,” calling for a continued rejection of zero-sum competition and for the engagement of all major powers in supporting the region’s growth and security, so that each has a stake in keeping it “safe and open” to all. Wong urged ASEAN to seize upcoming occasions marking milestones in its relations with the United States, Canada, and the European Union to renew commitments to mutually beneficial partnerships and identify new opportunities for practical cooperation.

The Philippines, which holds the ASEAN chairmanship this year, is hosting the 49th ASEAN Summit and related summits, with participation by at least 19 leaders representing countries and international institutions from Southeast Asia, as well as ASEAN’s dialogue and development partners.

ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967, by five countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Its membership later expanded to include Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, and then East Timor, which formally joined in October 2025, bringing the total number of member states to 11.

ASEAN maintains formal dialogue relations with 12 partners, including the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and the European Union. These partnerships aim to enhance political, security, economic, and technological cooperation and to coordinate positions on regional and international issues.

The association also maintains sectoral dialogue partnerships with 10 countries—the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Brazil, Morocco, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Pakistan, South Africa, and Switzerland—covering cooperation in trade, investment, energy, technology, and development. Five other countries hold the status of development partners: France, Italy, the Netherlands, Chile, and Peru, with the aim of supporting development projects and capacity building. (End)