ERIA President Presents Economic Resilience Strategy at the 27th ASEAN Economic Coordinating Council

Cebu, 7 May 2026: At the invitation of the ASEAN Economic Coordinating Council (AECC) and H.E. Cristina A. Roque, Secretary of the Philippines' Department of Trade and Industry, ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe presented ERIA's latest analysis on strengthening ASEAN's energy security and broader economic resilience to AECC members.

In his presentation, President Watanabe highlighted the growing economic risks arising from ongoing energy disruptions, noting that shortages of oil and petrochemical inputs could trigger cascading effects across a wide range of industries, including electronics, semiconductors, medical equipment, and pharmaceuticals. He stressed that such disruptions could have broader implications for industrial competitiveness, inflation, and regional supply chain stability.

President Watanabe emphasised that the current energy crisis should not be viewed in isolation, but rather as part of a broader pattern of increasingly complex external shocks that ASEAN is likely to face in the years ahead. He noted that future challenges - ranging from technological disruption and climate-related risks to demographic transitions - will become increasingly cross-sectoral in nature, requiring more integrated and co-ordinated regional responses.

Against this backdrop, President Watanabe outlined ERIA's proposal for strengthening ASEAN's economic resilience, emphasising the importance of practical and forward-looking regional co-operation. He underscored the need for ASEAN to enhance its preparedness for future disruptions while sustaining long-term growth, competitiveness, and regional stability.