Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono Emphasizes ASEAN's Centrality Must Be a Compass for Partnership with Russia

JAKARTA - The ASEAN centrality must remain the Compass in the partnership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations with Russia, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono at the ASEAN-Russia Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) meeting attended by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in Manila, Philippines, Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Sugiono said that the priority of the ASEAN-Russia partnership is aimed at strengthening community resilience, including the ability to anticipate, respond and adapt.

"Resilience is not only the ability to respond to crises, but also to anticipate risks, the ability to adapt to changes, and maintain long-term peace," said Foreign Minister Sugiono, launching the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday (23/7).

In particular, Foreign Minister Sugiono highlighted the importance of building a stable, open and resilient regional energy architecture.

"The ASEAN-Russia Energy Cooperation Work Program for the period 2026-2030 is a strong foundation in building long-term energy resilience," he explained.

Further, on this occasion, Foreign Minister Sugiono emphasized food security as a strategic priority issue. As one of the world's largest suppliers of wheat and fertilizer, Russia's role is important to secure food supplies in ASEAN.

"Access to these food items is important to maintain agricultural production and food prices, as well as improve access to nutritious food," said the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

It is also stated that modern agricultural technology and climate-resilient farming also contribute to long-term productivity and food security.

The strengthening of the health system in the Region is also not spared from being the main concern raised by Foreign Minister Sugiono.

"Increasing capacity and exchanging training for health workers will strengthen preparations for dealing with future health emergencies," he said.

Foreign Minister Sugiono emphasized that cooperation between ASEAN and Russia must continue to be based on the principles of multilateralism and respect for international law.

"ASEAN centrality must continue to be a compass in this cooperation," concluded Foreign Minister Sugiono.