MANILA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called on Asean member states to diversify their sources of food and medicines while strengthening regional production capacity to reduce reliance on external suppliers amid growing global uncertainties.

He said recent global disruptions had exposed the risks of depending on a limited number of suppliers for essential goods, underscoring the need for greater regional cooperation to safeguard supply chains.

In his intervention at the plenary session of the 49th Asean Summit, Anwar said member states should increase intra-regional trade in agricultural inputs, including fertilisers, seeds and animal feed, while ensuring the uninterrupted movement of essential supplies across borders during crises.