21 July: In a Joint Communiqué adopted during the forty-first Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting, which took place from
20-21 July 2008, in Singapore, Ministers addressed the issues of climate
change, the food and energy crises, and disaster relief.

The meeting, held under the theme “One ASEAN at the Heart of Dynamic Asia,” was chaired by George Yeo,
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore and Chair of the forty-first ASEAN Standing Committee.
In the Communiqué, Ministers underscored the importance of the ASEAN
Socio-Cultural Community in working towards improving the well-being of its
peoples through, inter alia,
enhancing food security and safety, protecting the environment, and increasing people’s
resilience to disasters. Ministers also stressed the need for a comprehensive
response to the issues of energy security, sustainable agriculture and
environmental protection, and welcomed the follow-up efforts of the relevant
ASEAN Sectoral Bodies to the Leaders’ discussions at the thirteenth ASEAN
Summit and related meetings on the theme of “Energy, Environment, Climate Change
and Sustainable Development.”
On foreign relations, Ministers agreed that their
cooperation with partners should focus on energy and food security, sustainable
forest management and climate change, and disaster relief and response. On
food and energy security, Ministers highlighted that the surge in food and oil
prices threatens welfare and economic development, and called for: regional
and international efforts to ensure the efficient functioning of market forces;
long-term agricultural solutions; and the elimination of price-distorting
export subsidies and other protectionist measures. [Joint Communiqué of the 41st ASEAN
Ministerial Meeting]