ERIA, Malaysia Discuss ASEAN–GCC Co-operation and Regional Energy Security

Kuala Lumpur, 14 August 2026: ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe met with YB Dato' Seri Haji Johari bin Abdul Ghani, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Malaysia, to exchange views on ASEAN economic resilience, co-operation between ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and regional energy security.

The meeting covered ERIA's ongoing work on the ASEAN Regional Oil Stockpiling Strategy, including the draft study and a validation workshop held on 6 August 2026 with ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Centre for Energy, and the ASEAN Council on Petroleum and Energy (ASCOPE).

President Watanabe noted that ERIA and the Indonesia Business Council had also convened a high-level private-sector roundtable on 30 July 2026 to explore potential pilot projects. He highlighted the importance of moving from analysis to implementation through practical arrangements that could support ASEAN's energy security agenda.

The discussion also addressed opportunities for ASEAN-GCC economic co-operation. ERIA shared its initiatives to deepen engagement between the two regions in key areas, including energy security, renewable energy investment, food security, logistics, infrastructure development, and digital innovation.

President Watanabe and Minister Johari underscored the importance of building partnerships based on coexistence and complementarity rather than competition. They also discussed industrial policy, critical minerals, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and ways to strengthen ASEAN's position as an integrated and investment-ready production base.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to regional co-operation to strengthen economic resilience, energy security, and strategic partnerships.