Prabowo encourages ASEAN to guard trade routes to prevent disruptions

President Prabowo Subianto during the plenary session of the 48th ASEAN Summit at the Mactan Expo, Cebu, Philippines, Friday, May 8, 2026. (ANTARA/HO-Government Communication Agency of the Republic of Indonesia)

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto has called on ASEAN countries to safeguard the sovereignty of territorial waters and strategic trade routes in the Southeast Asian region in order to prevent disruptions to regional economic activities.

"Resilience is not only about energy. Resilience also means maintaining and protecting the life lines of our region, namely distribution and trade routes. We must be aware that there are disruptions in our own region," said Prabowo as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, May 8.

This was conveyed by President Prabowo during the plenary session of the 48th ASEAN Summit at the Mactan Expo, Cebu, Philippines.

The appeal was made amid the disruption of the global economy due to the Iran-Israel-United States conflict, which disrupted the world's trade routes in the Strait of Hormuz.

Prabowo emphasized that in the midst of energy security issues, ASEAN countries must maintain unity and stability in the region.

According to the President, ASEAN countries need to increase vigilance against potential disruptions to global trade and energy distribution routes, especially those crossing the Southeast Asian region.

Prabowo also assessed that the challenges facing the region today cannot be handled by each country individually, but must be faced collectively by ASEAN.

"This is not a challenge that can be handled by one country alone. ASEAN must act together," he said.

The Head of State emphasized that ASEAN must strengthen regional solidarity and cooperation in order to remain a safe, stable region, and be able to prioritize the protection of its citizens.

"In protecting our citizens, ASEAN must speak with one voice. We must ask all parties to uphold international law and encourage accountability for any violations. This is a momentum for ASEAN to show its influence. We must have a strong collective political voice," said Prabowo.