(AseanAll) — Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro participated in the 62nd edition Munich Security Conference (MSC) held on 13-15 February 2026 in Munich, Germany.
Her engagements at the premier international security forum also included bilateral meetings with over a dozen of her Foreign Minister counterparts, an interview with German broadcaster Deutschewelle, and as a speaker in two specially organized events on maritime security cooperation.
Lazaro was one of the lead discussants in the MSC roundtable discussion entitled, “All Hands on Deck: Upholding Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific. An Update on Safeguarding Domestic Waters and Securing Global Trade,” organized by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on 13 February 2026.
The Secretary emphasized the importance of a rules-based order governed by international law for a secure and stable maritime domain. She stressed that regional tensions and disregard for established norms directly impact freedom of navigation and international trade. She called for full respect of international law, which remains the strongest stabilizing force.
As ASEAN Chair in 2026, Lazaro also stated that the Philippines has placed maritime security at the forefront of its regional agenda. She provided updates on the progress toward an ASEAN-China Code of Conduct on the South China Sea, which ASEAN Member States are endeavoring to conclude in 2026, as ASEAN Foreign Ministers had mandated. Secretary Lazaro conveyed her pragmatic optimism, noting the increased frequency of meetings with monthly face-to-face negotiations at the technical level.
The Secretary added that UNCLOS provides the comprehensive framework that governs maritime entitlements, navigational rights, marine resources, and peaceful dispute settlement, and that the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award reaffirmed these entitlements.
Lazaro was supported by the respective interventions of other panelists and participants.
On the Conference sidelines, Lazaro also conducted a series of bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers and other high-level officials. In each meeting, she reiterated the Philippines’ principled position on the rule of law, an international rules-based order, and the importance of multilateralism.
Lazaro was among 68 Foreign Ministers who participated in the high-level Munich Security Conference, which tackled the most relevant and consequential security issues of our time.
