Malaysia strengthens role as Asean chair to promote unity and dialogue

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia reaffirms its dedication to fostering dialogue, collaboration, and mutual understanding as chair of Asean in 2025, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin has said.Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025 in Turkiye, Mohamad highlighted Malaysia's commitment to reinforcing Asean's centrality and maintaining neutrality. He stated, "Malaysia is firmly dedicated to reinforcing Asean's centrality, ensuring that the bloc remains the primary driving force in regional affairs while upholding the principles of neutrality and non-alignment.

"He also emphasised Malaysia's "balanced and principled foreign policy approach" amid rising geopolitical tensions, saying, "In navigating an evolving and unpredictable global landscape, Malaysia aims to promote unity within Asean and enhance the bloc's resilience, relevance and responsiveness to regional and global challenges."On the sidelines of the forum, Mohamad held bilateral meetings with counterparts from Cambodia, Somalia, South Africa, and Yemen, including Yemen's Foreign Minister Dr Shaya Mohsin Mohamed Zindani. Discussions centred on Malaysia's Asean chairmanship, bilateral ties, and regional issues, including the Middle East situation.

Also featured at the forum was Türkiye's Deputy Foreign Minister A. Berris Ekinci, reflecting the international importance of the dialogue.The statement noted, "Malaysia as chair of Asean will continue to serve as a bridge-builder within the region, fostering dialogue, collaboration and mutual understanding among member states, reflecting the country's longstanding commitment as a facilitator of dialogue and cooperation in the region.

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