ASEAN held its Sixty-First ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (61st STOM) and the Fifth ASEAN and United States Senior Transport Officials Dialogue (5th ASEAN-U.S. STOD) on 19 – 21 May 2026 via video conference.  Yang Mulia Ir. Mohammad Nazri Mohammad Yusof, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC) led Brunei Darussalam’s delegation to the meetings.

The 61st STOM was officiated by His Excellency Mr. Giovanni Z. Lopez, Secretary of Transportation of the Republic of the Philippines on 19 May 2026 in a video message to the Meeting.  The 61st STOM was then chaired by Mr. Teodorico Jose R. Delfin, Undersecretary for Planning and Project Development of the Department of Transportation of the Republic of Philippines in his capacity as Chairman of the ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM) in 2026.

The STOM discussed the progress and status of initiatives and projects under the ASEAN Transport Sectoral Plan (ATSP) 2026-2030, which commenced implementation by the ASEAN Transport Working Groups since the start of the year.  The STOM continued to discuss matters of importance to the region’s transport landscape to better facilitate the movement of people and goods within the region.  The STOM also exchanged views on the geopolitical developments in the Middle East including its impacts on safety, security, and sustainability on ASEAN’s transport sector and possible ways to mitigate these effects, particularly on the areas of aviation and maritime, and the associated logistics and supply chain costs, and its long-term impacts on consumer prices.

Brunei Darussalam’s active involvement in the STOM and its Transport Working Groups continues to be a cornerstone to the development of regional transport policies.  These contributions include the development of key matters, including in, among others: sustainability across all transport sectors to support transition to green transport and climate action, safety and facilitation of transport traffic to improve operational efficiencies and regulatory alignment for a more integrated and competitive ASEAN transport sector.

Brunei Darussalam’s active involvement in the ATM, STOM and the associated Working Groups continues to contribute significantly to the development of regional transport policies. These contributions include expanding liberal and mutually beneficial air connectivity, strengthening capacity building, harmonising land transport services and road safety measures, and advancing sustainable and smart transport corridors across ASEAN.

The STOM also exchanged views on the progress of cooperation with the Dialogue Partners, that is China, Japan and Republic of Korea (ROK), including convening the 5th ASEAN-United States Senior Transport Officials Dialogue (ASEAN-U.S. STOD), where key issues were discussed, such as smart mobility through the use of AI-driven technologies, environmental sustainability, as well as support for human capacity building in these key issues.

Also present at the Meeting as part of Brunei Darussalam’s delegation were senior officials from the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC), Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Department of Land Transport (JPD), and Maritime and Port Authority of Brunei Darussalam (MPABD).

The outcomes of the 61st STOM would be further discussed by the 62nd STOM later this year to finalise the Annual Priorities/Key Deliverables for Transport in 2026 for the consideration of the 32nd ASEAN Transport Ministers (ATM) Meeting.  The ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM) convenes twice a year to review and coordinate transport-related programmes, activities and projects for the consideration of the ASEAN Transport Ministers (ATM) at the end of the year.

Prepared by: 

Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications, Brunei Darussalam

21 May 2026