Southeast Asia to remain a nuclear weapon-free zone - ASEAN

Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have pledged to maintain the region as a nuclear weapon-free zone.

The chair's statement of the 48th ASEAN Summit, posted on the ASEAN Philippines 2026 website, emphasized this.

The Philippines is the host of the 48th ASEAN Summit, being the chair of the 11-nation bloc for 2026.

Based on the statement, the leaders have discussed the importance of the “full and effective implementation” of the Treaty of Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ). They also encouraged nuclear-weapon states to work with ASEAN and support the treaty.

“We underscored the immense contribution of nuclear weapon-free zones to nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, and enhancing international peace and security,” the statement read.

“We reaffirmed our commitment to preserve the Southeast Asian region as a nuclear weapon-free zone and free of all other weapons of mass destruction, as enshrined in the [SEANWFZ Treaty] and the ASEAN Charter,” it added.

The ASEAN leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to continue engaging with all nuclear-weapon states, including those with reservations, and to strengthen efforts to resolve all issues, in accordance with the SEANWFZ Treaty’s objectives and principles.

The regional bloc also welcomed any nuclear-weapon states that were willing to sign and ratify the Protocol to the SEANFWZ Treaty without reservations.

“We encouraged our ASEAN experts to engage with the [nuclear-weapon states] experts to explore ways to bridge the differences,” the statement read. — VBL, GMA News