ASEAN, EU pledge closer cooperation as Iran war squeezes energy supplies

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Diplomats from ASEAN and European Union countries affirmed their commitment to multilateralism and dialogue, as the Iran conflict and resulting energy crisis threaten to upend global stability. Meeting in Brunei on Tuesday for the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting, officials discussed closer security and energy cooperation as they navigate the fallout from war in the Middle East. “Our relevance, be it together or separately, will be measured by our ability to uphold these principles consistently without discrimination and to translate them into concrete, result-oriented cooperation,” Brunei’s Second Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dato Erywan Yusof, said in his opening remarks. Dato Erywan co-chaired the meeting alongside the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. Brunei is the country coordinator for ASEAN-EU relations for 2024-2027. Kallas warned that the war had triggered a global energy crisis that will “affect all of us for years to come”, with Southeast Asian economies particularly vulnerable. “The war is driving up energy, food, fertiliser and transport costs, fueling inflation, and slowing growth,” Kallas said in opening remarks at the forum. “In a world defined by rising geopolitical competition, the EU and ASEAN cannot afford to drift apart. We must […] This story 'ASEAN, EU pledge closer cooperation as Iran war squeezes energy supplies' appeared first on The Scoop.