ASEAN ministers to hold meetings to address Middle East crisis

The conflict has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz. Read more at straitstimes.com.

MANILA – The widening conflict in the Middle East is expected to dominate discussions at the ASEAN economic ministers' retreat on March 13, with foreign ministers also holding a virtual meeting on the same day to tackle a deepening crisis that has upended global markets.

The Philippines, which is ASEAN chair for 2026, is hosting the meetings as officials weigh impacts and responses to surging oil prices as well as disruptions to shipping, logistics, and trade flows across the region’s export-reliant economies.

“The concern is a given,” Philippine trade undersecretary Allan Gepty told reporters, saying the region could not ignore the effects of the crisis on inflation and jobs.

Joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran launched almost two weeks ago have so far killed around 2,000 people and have thrown global energy markets and transport into chaos.

The conflict has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint that funnels about a fifth of the world’s oil and LNG to Asia, sending crude surging to above US$100 (S$127) a barrel.

The crisis has forced ASEAN foreign ministers to call a special virtual meeting to assess the implications for South-east Asia, where several economies rely heavily on crude and LNG shipments from the Gulf.