UK Mission to ASEAN

Foodborne bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter spread through unsafe food, and rising antimicrobial resistance is making these infections harder to treat - increasing health and economic risks for communities across the region. The UK is proud to partner with to tackle these connected challenges of food safety, infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance.
 
Last week, our Development Director at UKMis ASEAN visited and was delighted to see first-hand the site where the country’s first national food laboratory will be built, at AIFAESA - Timor Leste’s Autonomous Food Safety Authority.
 
Through the UK-ASEAN Health Security Partnership, the UK is supporting AIFAESA to establish the laboratory and strengthen the national food safety system, working closely with Badan POM (Indonesia’s Food and Drug Authority) and FSQD Malaysia. This collaboration will help to build a skilled laboratory workforce, strengthen food inspection systems, and enable faster detection of health threats - enhancing national and regional health security.

Our Development Director, Mr Peter Rajadiston, was in last week.

Honoured to meet with H.E. Mr. José Ramos-Horta, President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to discuss the UK-Timor Leste relationship, and particularly how we can work together through the UK-ASEAN partnership to support development in Timor Leste, as ’s newest member state.

The delegation also met H.E. Mrs. Dulce De Jesus Soares, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, H.E. Mr. Flávio Brandão, Vice-Minister for the Operationalization of Hospitals, and Director General Mr Elias de Jesus Fatima at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to discuss the breadth of our UK-ASEAN cooperation.

Across education, health, economic development and more, our UK-ASEAN partnership is delivering in Timor Leste.

The UK is working with ASEAN to unlock the foundations of a clean energy future.

The UK Mission to ASEAN supported the ASEAN Energy Transition Minerals Demand–Supply Assessment Stakeholder Roundtable through the ASEAN‑UK Green Transition Fund last month. Co‑hosted with Sustainable Energy for All and the ASEAN Secretariat’s Energy and Minerals Division, the roundtable brought together ASEAN Member States, UN partners, and technical experts to advance dialogue on an important enabler of ASEAN’s clean energy transition: access to sustainable critical minerals.

Anila Khan, Socio‑Cultural Counsellor at the UK Mission to ASEAN, highlighted the UK’s commitment to a clean and just transition shaped by ASEAN priorities - supporting stronger, more resilient green supply chains across the region.

From battery minerals to EV and solar supply chains, discussions throughout the day highlighted the technical realities behind the energy transition and the need for coordinated action. The roundtable marked a meaningful step forward in our ASEAN‑UK partnership in support of ASEAN’s ambition to develop resilient global green value chains.

The UK welcomed the Bank Indonesia and Bank of England 5th Regional Workshop on ASEAN Payment Systems!

Earlier this week, the UK’s Trade and Economic Counsellor joined the 5th Regional Workshop on ASEAN Payment Systems. Spearheaded by and , this flagship annual forum serves as a key platform to bring together leading policymakers and experts in financial services to foster impactful knowledge exchange.   
  
This year’s discussions focused on navigating wholesale, retail, and cross-border payment challenges in an increasingly fast-evolving global financial landscape, including: 
☑️ Maintaining and developing existing financial policies 
☑️ Responding to changes in the global economy payment ecosystem 
☑️ Designing the next generation of financial policies 

Over the course of two days, experts and policymakers from ASEAN central banks, Bank Indonesia, and the Bank of England came together to share insights, experiences, and practical solutions shaping the future of payments in ASEAN. 
 

ASEAN Climate Week 2026 wrapped up last week.

The UK is working with partners across ASEAN to turn ideas into practical solutions, from supporting climate finance and protecting nature to backing a fair transition that works for everyone. Through partnerships like the ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund, we are helping move climate action forward across the region.

Have a look at what the UK has been doing at Climate Week and how we are working with ASEAN on climate action.

During March, the UK Mission to ASEAN has been driving progress across the region.
 
Working closely with our partners, we are sharing technical expertise and building frameworks for sustainable economic growth through initiatives like the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP) and the ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund (GTF).
 
Swipe through the slides to see what we’ve been up to in the final part of our March highlights.
 

On 29 April 2026, the ASEAN–UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP) marked the launch of its office at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, alongside the introduction of its official website at: https://aseanuk-eip.org

👩🏻‍💻The EIP website, which serves as the central hub for all programme information—brings together updates, programme details, and resources in one accessible place. It plays an important role in improving visibility, strengthening communication, and showcasing ASEAN–UK cooperation.

🎙️The launch event brought together representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat, the UK Mission to ASEAN, Dialogue Partners, and stakeholders, and included brief remarks and a networking reception.

With both a physical presence and a strong digital platform, the EIP is well positioned to support ASEAN’s economic priorities and deepen regional collaboration.

This week, Manila takes centre stage for regional climate action.

Under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship, ASEAN Climate Week 2026 brings high‑level leadership and hands‑on solutions together - from translating Climate Commitments (NDC) into bankable projects, to mobilising climate finance, supporting nature‑based solutions and driving a just transition – and the UK is part of it.

Swipe to see what’s happening.