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The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations formally adopted a sweeping maritime cooperation declaration at the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines on May 8, 2026
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Declaration reaffirms the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as the overarching legal framework for all ocean and maritime activities in the region, with all ASEAN member states now UNCLOS parties
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Key cooperation areas: defense and maritime law enforcement, navigation safety, maritime transport, port development, search and rescue, marine environmental protection, illegal fishing, underwater infrastructure, blue economy, and ocean governance
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Leaders pledged to advance the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum as a formal platform for maritime law enforcement cooperation
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The declaration calls for concluding the South China Sea Code of Conduct negotiations in accordance with UNCLOS
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Supports the planned establishment of an ASEAN Maritime Centre in the Philippines to serve as a cross-sectoral maritime coordination hub
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Calls for a possible ASEAN agreement on marine plastics pollution and a successor to the existing Regional Action Plan on Marine Debris
The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) formally adopted a sweeping maritime cooperation declaration at the 48th ASEAN Summit, committing to deeper coordination on sea lane security, underwater infrastructure protection, marine environmental governance, and the long-stalled South China Sea Code of Conduct negotiations.
The ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Maritime Cooperation, adopted in Cebu on May 8, 2026, reaffirms the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as the overarching legal framework for all activities in the oceans and seas.
All ASEAN member states are now parties to UNCLOS, a milestone reflecting the bloc’s shared commitment to international maritime law.
The declaration, adopted under the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN chairmanship theme “Navigating Our Future, Together,” spans the full spectrum of maritime concerns facing Southeast Asia: from conventional security and trade route protection to emerging threats such as attacks on submarine cables and pipelines, marine plastic pollution, and the territorial and human security implications of rising sea levels.
On the security front, ASEAN leaders committed to strengthen maritime cooperation across defense and law enforcement, navigation safety, port development, search and rescue, and maritime domain awareness. They also pledged to advance the work of the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum with a view to formalizing it as a listed ASEAN platform for cooperation among maritime law enforcement agencies.
In a pointed signal on the South China Sea, the declaration calls on member states to endeavor to conclude negotiations on an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS — a negotiation that has been underway for years without resolution.
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A concrete institutional outcome of the declaration is support for the planned establishment of an ASEAN Maritime Centre in the Philippines, which will support the work of ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms on maritime issues and promote cross-sectoral and cross-pillar collaboration among member states while avoiding duplication of efforts.
On environmental governance, the leaders agreed to explore and develop modalities for cooperation on marine debris and plastics pollution, including developing a successor document to the ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris and a possible agreement on marine plastics pollution within ASEAN.
The declaration also recognizes the profound and growing threat that sea level rise poses to the coastal communities, livelihoods, and territorial integrity of ASEAN member states, underscoring the urgent need for strengthened regional and international cooperation to address the human, economic, and security dimensions of this challenge.
ASEAN is composed of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam.— Michael Barcas
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