KUALA LUMPUR: The Myanmar delegation, led by its Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aung Kyaw Moe, has arrived in Kuala Lumpur to attend the 46th ASEAN Summit and related meetings.
Kyaw Moe, who landed here at 11 am yesterday, will lead the Myanmar delegation during the high-level regional gathering taking place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).
As part of the summit proceedings, he is scheduled to participate in the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) today, as well as two key informal consultations related to the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar, a regional peace plan first agreed upon in 2021.
The informal consultation on the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus is expected to centre around ASEAN’s continued efforts to address the protracted political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar following the 2021 military coup.
Discussions will likely focus on the effectiveness and limitations of the current engagement framework, particularly the lack of tangible progress in halting violence, initiating inclusive dialogue, and delivering humanitarian aid.
Member states may also explore alternative diplomatic approaches, including enhanced coordination with the ASEAN Chair’s Special Envoy, engagement with key stakeholders excluded from the peace process, and the possibility of expanding humanitarian corridors to reach affected communities.
Myanmar remains suspended from high-level ASEAN meetings due to the military-led government’s failure to implement the Five-Point Consensus, which was adopted by ASEAN in 2021 to address the crisis following the February coup.
The consensus called for an immediate cessation of violence, inclusive dialogue among all parties, the appointment of a special envoy, humanitarian assistance, and a visit by the envoy to Myanmar.
The 46th ASEAN Summit is being held under Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship theme, “Inclusivity and Sustainability”. This year also marks the country’s fifth time at the helm of the regional bloc since its previous chairmanships in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.
In addition to the ASEAN-level meetings, the summit will also feature two important inter-regional platforms, the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit – signalling growing engagement between Southeast Asia and its strategic partners in the Gulf and China.
The ASEAN Summit and its related meetings are expected to address a wide range of pressing regional and global issues, with the situation in Myanmar remaining a critical topic of concern for ASEAN member states.
