RRI.CO.ID, Cebu – Indonesian Foreign Minister, Sugiono, said that ASEAN must foster its political foundations and ensure that Southeast Asia remains a zone of peace rather than a stage for proxy conflicts. He made the remarks while attending the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM Retreat) in Cebu, the Philippines, on Thursday, 29 January 2026.

“We must ensure that Southeast Asia remains a zone of peace and does not become a theatre for proxy conflicts. And we must evolve into more substantive global actors,” Sugiono conveyed.

Amid increasingly complex global geopolitical dynamics, Foreign Minister Sugiono stated that ASEAN needs to build self-reliant resilience by strengthening strategic sectors such as economic, energy, food, and technological resilience. According to him, Southeast Asia must continue to be safeguarded as a peaceful and united region.

“Our engagement must be forward-looking, rooted in the foundation of a secure and unified Southeast Asia, and regional resilience is what allows us to engage with the world with confidence,” he said.

Sugiono also highlighted the acceleration of efforts to finalize the Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea, which is expected to be concluded this year. He underscored that finalizing the CoC is a crucial step for the future of the region and for creating a stable, rules-based maritime order.

In addition, he conveyed Indonesia’s full support for the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026, which carries the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.” He stressed that the theme is highly relevant to the current situation, which continues to test ASEAN’s centrality and unity.

In anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), the Indonesian Foreign Minister called on ASEAN to continue upholding the TAC in its engagement with external partners in order to maintain regional stability in the future.

On the sidelines of the AMM Retreat, the Indonesian Foreign Minister also held bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Cambodia and Singapore to discuss the strengthening of bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues of shared concern.