ASEAN summit: Who’s attending and what’s at stake?

Detailed summary

Energy disruptions as a result of the US-Israel war on Iran is a key issue for the import-dependent bloc.

Southeast Asian countries that comprise the ASEAN economic bloc will meet in the Philippines this week as the region continues to bear the brunt of oil shortages caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, as well as by US-China rivalry, which has hit economies hard.

The Manila summit will be held from November 15 to 17 and will include US President Donald Trump and several other world leaders.

The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) aims to establish a single market, although it cannot impose decisions on members. It comprises Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and East Timor, with a combined population of nearly 694 million, or 8.4 percent of the world’s population.

Several ASEAN meetings are held annually. This week’s summit is expected to be the final one for this year.

Beyond the energy crisis, other pressing issues include disputes over the South China Sea and trade.

In addition to leaders and representatives from the 11 member countries, other guests include:

The summit is being held at a time when Southeast Asian countries have been hit hard by shortages in oil and gas supplies from Middle Eastern suppliers amid the US-Israel war on Iran.

The Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia are among the most vulnerable to the energy disruptions in the Gulf, with Manila declaring a state of national energy emergency in March.

Millions of ASEAN citizens also live and work in the Middle East, where the war threatens their safety and earnings.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Al Jazeera. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.