Antara News·Indonesia·Friday, September 18, 2026 at 06:27 AM

Dy minister advances ASEAN economic integration agenda at AEM

Translate

Maria Cicilia G P, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Trade Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri is set to attend the 58th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting in Manila, Philippines, where discussions will focus on accelerating regional economic integration amidst global geopolitical uncertainty.

In a statement issued on Friday, this year's AEM meeting takes place at a pivotal moment for ASEAN, as the region navigates complex economic and geopolitical dynamics and concludes the first year of implementing the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026–2030.

"ASEAN remains united in addressing growing geoeconomic challenges, including rivalry among major powers, rising protectionism, energy market volatility, and supply chain disruptions. These challenges affect not only our economic growth but also the stability and security of our economies," said Roro, serving as Indonesia's alternate AEM representative.

The AEM meeting will address a range of regional economic issues. Hosted by the Philippines as ASEAN Chair from September 19 to 22, 2023, the 58th AEM Meeting carries the theme "Navigating Our Future, Together."

According to the deputy minister, the meeting will assess progress on key economic priorities, formalize previously agreed decisions, and advance the ASEAN economic integration agenda through consultations with dialogue partners to strengthen external economic ties and promote mutually beneficial cooperation.

Roro is scheduled to attend a series of meetings during this year's AEM, including the 40th ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) Council meeting, the Business Dialogue on ASEAN’s Digital Economy 2026, and the 5th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial Meeting.

She will also conduct bilateral meetings with partner nations, namely Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and Canada, as well as AEM consultation meetings with ASEAN's strategic partners.

She mentioned that in order to safeguard the future, ASEAN must act with collective resolve, where its strength lies in the unity and its ability to respond decisively as a single community.

"By acting collectively, ASEAN will strengthen its economic security architecture, helping the region withstand external pressures and remain competitive in the global economy," Roro concluded.

View the original on Antara News →

KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.