Forum: Why Middle East stability matters to South-east Asia

For South-east Asia, instability in the Middle East is not a distant matter. It affects energy prices, shipping routes, investor confidence and the wider global economy on which many economies in this region depend.

Recent efforts towards de-escalation were welcome, although the situation remains fragile and uncertain. They also underline how quickly regional instability can affect trade-dependent Asian economies, including those in South-east Asia.

That is why stability in the Middle East matters to South-east Asia. For open and globally connected economies, secure sea lanes, reliable energy flows and confidence in the rules governing trade are not abstract concerns. They are essential to economic resilience and long-term growth.

There is also a legal dimension. International straits such as the Strait of Hormuz are governed by the regime of transit passage under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This right is intended to remain continuous and should not be obstructed or made contingent on payment or negotiation.

Any attempt to impose transit fees on such passage would be difficult to reconcile with the established legal framework for international navigation, and would risk setting a troubling precedent for other strategic waterways on which trading nations, including those in South-east Asia, rely.

The issue, therefore, is not only about conflict. It is also about responsibility: preventing escalation, protecting civilians, preserving connectivity and supporting the conditions for lasting peace. These priorities do not compete. They reinforce one another. Singapore and ASEAN have consistently stressed restraint, diplomacy, dialogue and the protection of civilians in response to recent escalation.

This is where Saudi Arabia’s role matters. The kingdom’s interest in regional stability is strategic, economic and long term. Saudi Arabia has consistently maintained that the Middle East is capable of broad-based development, progress and prosperity, given the strength and potential of its economies, provided that a safe and stable environment is in place.

Saudi Arabia is undergoing a far-reaching national transformation under Vision 2030, centred on diversification, investment, human capital and global connectivity. A transformation of this scale requires a more stable regional environment, one that supports growth, innovation and partnership rather than repeated cycles of disruption.

The Middle East should not be viewed only through the lens of crisis. Alongside the region’s undeniable tensions, there is also a story of development, diversification and broader economic integration.

Saudi Arabia is firmly invested in that future, because a more stable and connected Middle East is better for regional prosperity, for Asian growth and for responsible international partnership.

For South-east Asia, the message is clear. Stability in the Middle East is not merely a distant regional issue. It is part of safeguarding the international environment on which economic prosperity depends. When countries invest in diplomacy, development and connectivity, they help strengthen conditions that benefit trusted partners beyond the region as well.

Mohammad Abdullah Alghamdi
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Singapore