CEBU CITY (Philippines), Jan 28 — Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan arrived here today to attend the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) Retreat and related meetings.

He arrived at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, where he was welcomed by the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Ariel Rodelas Peñaranda.

Mohamad is leading a Malaysian delegation to the AMM Retreat, the first official Asean meeting of the year under the Philippines’ Asean Chairmanship, themed “Navigating Our Future, Together.”

All Asean foreign ministers are attending the retreat, except Myanmar, which is represented by the Permanent Secretary of its Foreign Affairs Ministry. Asean Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn will also attend the retreat.

Mohamad is also scheduled to attend the Informal Consultation on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) and the Extended Informal Consultation on the 5PC on Wednesday.

Malaysia reaffirmed its commitment to support the Philippines in 2026 on the Myanmar issue through the Troika mechanism, alongside the Philippines and Singapore.

Later in the evening, he will attend a welcoming dinner hosted by the Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro.

On Thursday, Mohamad will attend the retreat chaired by Lazaro. He is also expected to deliver Malaysia’s views on key regional and international developments.

Mohamad will also take the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts, with discussions expected to focus on deepening Asean cooperation and enhancing Malaysia’s bilateral relations with the respective countries.

During the retreat, the Asean Chair is expected to present the key priorities and deliverables of its Chairmanship.

The AMM Retreat provides Malaysia and other Asean member states with a valuable platform to strengthen collective efforts to build an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient Asean Community, especially amid evolving geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics and uncertainties.

The ministers will review the implementation of decisions from the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits held in October 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern.

On Tuesday, the Philippines Spokesperson for Asean Matters, Dominic Xavier M. Imperial, said regional and international issues are expected to be discussed during the retreat in a candid manner.

He said that with the format, all foreign ministers and representatives are free to raise any concerns they have in relation to regional and global developments. — Bernama