Anwar opens 58th ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting, spotlight on regional and global concerns

PRIME MINSTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is set to officially open the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, as Malaysia assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship for 2025 under the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’.

The ceremony will be attended by all ASEAN Foreign Ministers, their counterpart from Timor-Leste, and ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn, who is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Anwar prior to the event.

Following the opening, the AMM’s Plenary Session will be held, succeeded by a Retreat Session chaired by Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

The previous AMM Retreat, held in Langkawi earlier this year, concluded with a statement urging progress on the South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC), renewed emphasis on ASEAN unity and resilience, and a message to Myanmar amid the country’s ongoing political crisis.

Among the highlights of the current agenda is the signing of the Instrument of Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), to be witnessed by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers and Dr Kao.

The 58th AMM and its related meetings are taking place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 8 to 11 July, featuring 24 ministerial-level meetings, including engagements with ASEAN Dialogue Partners and Sectoral Dialogue Partners. Around 1,500 delegates are participating.

All ASEAN member states are represented, with Myanmar sending a senior official from its foreign ministry instead of a minister. Timor-Leste is attending as an observer as part of its gradual integration into ASEAN.

The summit is regarded as one of the most anticipated diplomatic gatherings in the region, bringing together foreign ministers and high-level diplomats from across the globe to deliberate on urgent regional and international issues, deepen cooperation, and advance ASEAN’s security and sustainability agenda.

This marks Malaysia’s fifth term as ASEAN Chair, having previously held the position in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015. - July 9, 2025