Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan completed a rare two-day official visit to Pyongyang, where he urged North Korean leadership to maintain open communication channels despite rising global uncertainty.

The Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, held a targeted pull-aside meeting today with Todd McClay, New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment, to map out stronger economic ties.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced plans to mobilize $30 billion by 2030 to support the development priorities of the ASEAN and strengthen its resilience against external shocks.

Leaders across Southeast Asia have raised concerns about the global ripple effects of the Iran conflict, warning that the crisis is already affecting energy prices, livelihoods, and regional stability during a major summit of the ASEAN.

Thailand and Cambodia’s leaders held bilateral talks on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings, drawing attention to growing regional cooperation, economic priorities and geopolitical challenges facing Southeast Asia.

Thailand and Cambodia are set to hold rare high-level talks on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in the Philippines, as a fragile ceasefire continues to hold following deadly border clashes last year.

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met in the Philippines on Thursday ahead of the bloc’s upcoming summit, with discussions focusing on the worsening energy crisis linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran and the United States.