Leaders of the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Sunday discussed the prolonged political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, calling for more practical approaches to advance peace efforts and implement the bloc’s Five-Point Consensus.
The discussions took place during the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila, where Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged regional leaders to strengthen their engagement with Myanmar and make their diplomatic efforts more responsive to conditions on the ground.
Marcos reaffirmed that Myanmar remains an integral member of ASEAN despite the bloc’s decision to exclude its military leadership from high-level meetings following the February 2021 military coup that overthrew the elected government of the National League for Democracy (NLD).
“We agreed to continue constructive and principled engagement with Myanmar while staying true to the principles of the Five-Point Consensus,” Marcos told fellow ASEAN leaders during the meeting.
However, he questioned whether the bloc was doing enough to address the crisis, which has intensified since the military takeover.
“We need to ask ourselves, what more can we do for Myanmar?” he said.
Marcos emphasized that the crisis should not be viewed merely as a political or diplomatic challenge for the regional organization but as a humanitarian emergency affecting millions of people.
“Ultimately, the crisis in Myanmar is about people, families who have been displaced, communities that need humanitarian assistance, and young people whose future has been interrupted by conflict and instability,” he said.
“Myanmar is not merely an issue on ASEAN’s agenda. Myanmar is part of our ASEAN family.”
He expressed hope that the discussions would produce forward-looking measures to strengthen the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus and support a peaceful, inclusive political process led by Myanmar itself.
The Five-Point Consensus, adopted by ASEAN following the 2021 coup, remains the bloc’s principal framework for addressing the crisis. It calls for an immediate cessation of violence, constructive dialogue among all parties, mediation by an ASEAN special envoy, humanitarian assistance and visits by the special envoy to meet relevant stakeholders.
Despite repeated diplomatic efforts, implementation of the agreement has faced significant challenges, with violence and armed conflict continuing across several parts of Myanmar.
ASEAN has maintained diplomatic engagement with Myanmar but has barred representatives of its military government from attending the bloc’s major summits and ministerial-level political meetings. Instead, Myanmar has generally been represented by non-political senior officials from its Foreign Ministry.
Under the Five-Point Consensus, ASEAN also provides humanitarian assistance through its Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management. The bloc’s special envoy is tasked with facilitating dialogue and meeting all parties concerned.
The humanitarian situation remains particularly serious in conflict-affected areas, where displacement, insecurity and limited access to essential services have worsened the conditions of vulnerable communities.
The Rohingya crisis is another major concern expected to feature in the regional discussions. Myanmar’s military crackdown in 2017 forced more than a million Rohingya Muslims to flee, most seeking refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh. Their eventual safe, voluntary and dignified return remains unresolved.
The continuing crisis has placed pressure on ASEAN’s principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states, while raising questions about the bloc’s ability to respond collectively to political instability and humanitarian emergencies.
The 49th ASEAN Summit and related meetings are being held in Manila over three days, with the Philippines preparing to hand over the rotating chairmanship to Singapore on Tuesday.
Alongside discussions on Myanmar, ASEAN leaders are scheduled to hold separate meetings with major regional and international partners, including China, Japan, Australia, India, South Korea and the United States.
US President Donald Trump is expected to arrive in Manila on Tuesday to participate in the summit-related engagements.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN comprises 11 member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor-Leste.
The Myanmar crisis remains one of the most significant challenges confronting the regional bloc as it seeks to maintain regional stability, strengthen diplomatic cooperation and address the humanitarian consequences of prolonged conflict.
