The Middle East conflict has caused the most serious energy crisis in the Asia-Pacific region in decades, according to Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) of the United Nations.

Speaking at the opening of the 82nd session of ESCAP in Bangkok, Alisjahbana noted that the stability of the Asia-Pacific region is under pressure amid rising geopolitical tensions and rising economic protectionism.

According to her, the Middle East conflict has exposed structural vulnerabilities in energy, trade, transport links and supply chains, which could lead to further socioeconomic consequences if they continue.

Alisjahbana stressed that about 60 percent of the region’s trade and economic activity takes place in the Asia-Pacific region, making it both interconnected and vulnerable.

She added that the regional architecture is already changing: trade and investment models, supply chains and energy systems are being restructured, and new alliances are emerging.

At the same time, Alisjahbana noted that the region has the potential to adapt and develop, thanks to economic dynamism, technological development and international cooperation, which can strengthen resilience and security in the future.