Türkiye becomes ASEAN’s 12th dialogue partner

ANKARA

Türkiye has been formally admitted as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ 12th dialogue partner, upgrading its relationship with the Southeast Asian bloc from a sectoral dialogue partnership.

The decision was taken on July 21 at the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila and announced by Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan welcomed the move, describing dialogue partnership as the tier immediately below ASEAN membership and noting that the status was previously held by 11 external partners.

Fidan thanked ASEAN foreign ministers, the Philippines as the bloc’s current chair and the ASEAN Secretariat for supporting Türkiye’s application, which was submitted in 2024.

The new status would strengthen Türkiye’s long-term engagement with the Asia-Pacific region and deepen political and economic cooperation with ASEAN, he said.

Trade between Türkiye and ASEAN members has increased from $6.5 billion to $16 billion since institutional relations were established in 2010, according to Fidan. He described ASEAN as a region of nearly 700 million people with an economy worth more than $4 trillion.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry called the decision a milestone that would advance strategic cooperation under Ankara’s Asia Anew Initiative.

ASEAN also granted Germany and Qatar sectoral dialogue partner status at the Manila meeting. Lazaro said the decisions reflected partners’ continued confidence in the organization and supported the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Türkiye began developing institutional ties with ASEAN by acceding to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in 2010. It became a sectoral dialogue partner in 2017 and formally applied for full dialogue partner status in 2024.