Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan to Lead Key Sessions as 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Opens in Kuala Lumpur

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Voice of Malaysia) – Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, is set to chair several high-profile engagements today as the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related events officially commence at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

Kicking off the four-day series of discussions, Mohamad will lead the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Interface with Representatives of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). The session will bring together ASEAN foreign ministers, the foreign minister of Timor-Leste, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, and AICHR representatives to deliberate on key developments in human rights across the region.

This marks the official start of the AMM-58, held under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, as Malaysia takes on the ASEAN Chairmanship for 2025.

Following the AICHR interface, Mohamad is also scheduled to chair the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Commission Meeting, where participants will assess progress under the SEANWFZ Treaty’s Plan of Action.

According to Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Sri Amran Mohamed Zin, the SEANWFZ session will focus on several critical matters, including:

• The ongoing efforts to encourage the five Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) to accede to the Treaty’s Protocol.

• The review of Timor-Leste’s potential accession to the treaty as part of its broader ASEAN integration process.

Later in the evening, Mohamad will lead a trilateral meeting between Malaysia, Norway, and the ASEAN Secretariat, further strengthening political-security ties and thematic cooperation.

Additionally, a Malaysia–Brazil–ASEAN Secretariat trilateral meeting is scheduled to be attended by ASEAN senior officials and the Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Political-Security Community, Datuk Astanah Abdul Aziz. The dialogue aims to explore enhanced cooperation between ASEAN and Latin American countries through Malaysia’s diplomatic channels.

The 58th AMM is expected to convene around 1,500 delegates from across ASEAN and its partners, including:

• Foreign ministers from ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste,

• ASEAN Dialogue Partners and Sectoral Dialogue Partners,

• ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) participants,

• Senior officials from the ASEAN Secretariat.

Over the next few days, ministers will participate in 24 official meetings, discussing pressing regional and international issues, economic partnerships, security cooperation, and sustainability initiatives. High-level dialogues under frameworks such as ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the ARF will shape the regional agenda for the months ahead.

Malaysia’s leadership is expected to bring a strong focus on merging development goals with regional peace and stability, reflecting the country’s growing role as a bridge-builder in ASEAN diplomacy.