The Philippines government is waiting for formal assurances from some of the foreign leaders who are set to participate in this November’s summit and various other events in Manila. Hosting the 49th summit, authorities are stepping up their preparations for logistics and security, working closely with various local departments and institutions in charge of transport, traffic control and area communications.

The most prominent confirmed participation is from the U.S. President, Donald Trump, from the White House. Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) officials hope all regional leaders will go on to confirm their participation. This comprises the leaders of the ASEAN Plus Three countries (China, Japan and South Korea) and the other leaders who are part of the East Asia Summit.

Secretary-General António Guterres of the United Nations (UN) will also be attending the highly-anticipated ASEAN-UN Summit. A full list of the leaders participating and all the summit’s products will be determined in the coming weeks based on additional diplomatic notification.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has drafted several key agreements, declarations and proposals which it hopes to see adopted by the leaders. In addition to the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) announced earlier, the comprehensive agenda includes regional economic integration, digital transformation, energy security, disaster resilience, transboundary haze, and implementing the ambitious ASEAN 2045 agenda.

The multilateral meetings will be a key area in terms of regional security. The talks will be much centered on the South China Sea and highlight the current progress towards the conclusion of a practical and substantive Code of Conduct based on international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In addition, political problems in Myanmar and the implementation of the ASEAN Five Point Consensus will be key topics of discussion. In preparation for November, various ministerial and senior officials’ meetings in the Philippines have been held, all aiming to complete this detailed agenda and to complete the preparation of all necessary documents to be adopted.