ISLAMABAD, 27 July 2026–The Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Pakistan, H.E. Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, formally assumed the Chairship of the ASEAN Committee in Islamabad (ACI) during the ACI Heads of Missions Meeting held on 27 July 2026.

The ceremonial handover, hosted by the outgoing Chair, H.E. Mr. Chandra Warsenanto Sukotjo, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, was witnessed by Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Petroleum, H.E. Mr. Ali Pervaiz Malik.

During the meeting, Minister Malik briefed ASEAN Heads of Mission on Pakistan’s ongoing energy sector reforms, including measures to strengthen energy security, diversify fuel supplies, modernize refineries, and enhance transparency in petroleum pricing amid continuing volatility in global energy markets. The discussion also covered regional energy security, economic resilience, and opportunities for continued engagement between Pakistan and ASEAN.

As Chair of the ACI for the next six months, the Philippine Embassy looks forward to working closely with fellow ASEAN Missions and the Government of Pakistan to further strengthen ASEAN-Pakistan relations and promote cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The Philippine Chairship will seek to enhance ASEAN’s visibility and identity in Pakistan through coordinated public diplomacy initiatives, expand people-to-people exchanges, and further advance economic and cultural diplomacy to support stronger ties between ASEAN and Pakistan.

The ACI Leadership is composed of the Heads of Mission of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and the Philippines. END