Delegates participate in the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Manila on 23 July 2026. (Wikimedia/Khalilur Rahman)
On July 23, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) reaffirmed its commitment to nuclear disarmament, calling on nuclear weapon states to fulfil their obligations under international law, while addressing regional security concerns including the Korean Peninsula, the South China Sea (SCS), Myanmar and the Middle East.
In the ASEAN Chair’s Statement issued by the Philippines on July 25, participants at the 33rd ARF urged nuclear weapon states to advance nuclear disarmament in accordance with Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The statement also recognised the complete elimination of nuclear weapons as the only guarantee that such weapons are never used again.
For context, the ARF serves as ASEAN’s principal security dialogue platform, bringing together member states and dialogue partners including Australia, Canada, China, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the United States (US), Bangladesh, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Mongolia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea.
Notably, the 33rd forum expressed concern over recent developments on the Korean Peninsula, urging the resumption of peaceful dialogue among all parties, describing North Korea’s continued nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes as violations of relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions that threaten regional peace and stability.
Additionally, the meeting reviewed developments in the SCS, the situation in Myanmar and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. ASEAN reaffirmed its readiness to promote dialogue through ASEAN-led mechanisms, including the ARF, to foster conditions conducive to the peaceful settlement of disputes.
Participants further encouraged the full and effective participation of all ARF members in future activities and formally admitted the United Kingdom (UK) as the forum’s 28th participant, recognising its growing engagement with ASEAN.
The meeting reflects ASEAN’s continuing efforts to reinforce its role as a platform for preventive diplomacy amid an increasingly complex regional security environment. By addressing nuclear disarmament alongside developments in the Korean Peninsula, the SCS and Myanmar, the forum highlighted the bloc’s commitment to managing interconnected security challenges through dialogue, consensus and cooperation while expanding engagement with external partners.
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