Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia, as the 2025 ASEAN Chair, is still awaiting confirmation from the United States (US) on the proposed date for the ASEAN-US Special Summit, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. He noted that the initiative was formally proposed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who requested that the summit be held sometime this year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamad shared that they are still waiting for a response from the US and expressed hope for receiving the good news soon. This announcement was made during a press conference ahead of the 46th ASEAN Summit.

On April 5, Mohamad received a phone call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss Malaysia-US bilateral relations under the Comprehensive Cooperation Framework. Both sides also discussed and planned a suitable date for the ASEAN-US Special Summit, aligning it with Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship this year.

The 46th ASEAN Summit and its related meetings, held under Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship themed ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, are anticipated to address a broad range of regional and international issues, with the ongoing crisis in Myanmar being a central concern for ASEAN member states.

This year marks Malaysia’s fifth time chairing the regional organisation, following previous terms in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015. In addition to the ASEAN-level meetings, two key inter-regional summits, the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, will take place on May 26 and 27, signalling the growing engagement between Southeast Asia and its strategic partners in the Gulf and China.