ASEAN to hold two meetings on Myanmar conflict next week, says chief

The Southeast Asian regional bloc, ASEAN, will convene two dedicated meetings next week to address the ongoing civil conflict in Myanmar, ahead of its upcoming summit, the organization’s secretary-general announced on Wednesday. This move aims to reinvigorate ASEAN’s stalled peace efforts in the country, which has been mired in violence since the military coup ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, displacing around 3.5 million people.

Since the coup, ASEAN’s 2021 peace initiative—the "Five Point Consensus," which calls for an end to violence and dialogue among warring factions—has seen little progress. This lack of advancement has led to Myanmar’s military leaders being excluded from ASEAN summits. According to Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, the upcoming meetings in Malaysia will focus exclusively on Myanmar, without addressing other issues. The first meeting will involve the current, previous, and incoming ASEAN chair countries—Malaysia, Laos, and the Philippines—while the second will gather the bloc’s foreign ministers.

Myanmar, once viewed as a promising emerging market following economic reforms and a period of tentative democracy, has since descended into chaos. The military struggles to maintain control amid a growing rebellion involving ethnic minority groups and pro-democracy forces. Accusations of widespread military atrocities, including airstrikes on civilian areas, persist, though the junta denies these claims, dismissing them as Western propaganda.

Addressing criticism over ASEAN’s slow progress, Kao Kim Hourn defended the bloc’s approach as well-intentioned but stressed that patience is necessary. He emphasized the importance of continued engagement, noting that any reduction in large-scale fighting or successful efforts to bring parties to dialogue represent meaningful progress.

When asked about recent military airstrikes and artillery attacks reported despite a ceasefire declared after a major earthquake in March, he declined to assign blame, stating the violator was unclear. Kao also reiterated ASEAN’s and China’s commitment to finalizing a long-delayed code of conduct for the contested South China Sea by next year, underscoring the need for peace to avoid miscalculations that could escalate tensions or conflict.

Lastly, Kao mentioned promising developments toward admitting East Timor as ASEAN’s 11th member, indicating the country has met many of the necessary criteria and that its accession could occur later this year.