ASEAN foreign ministers are set to discuss the bloc’s next steps in addressing the ongoing situation in Myanmar during an upcoming high-level meeting in Manila, as the Philippines continues its role as ASEAN chair.
The Philippines will convene an extended informal consultation on the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) on Myanmar during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting next week.
Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesperson for ASEAN Affairs Dax Imperial said the discussions will build on the first-ever in-person meeting between ASEAN foreign ministers and Myanmar’s counterpart since 2021, which was held in Thailand on Sunday.
“The extended informal consultation is a very important meeting next week, especially with the recently concluded meetings in Thailand. The discussions there will feed into the discussions of the foreign ministers next week,” he said.
“What we’re looking at is perhaps you can expect what would be the next steps, what would be the way forward after these engagements,” he added.
Myanmar will not be part of the Manila consultation, with the country represented by its permanent secretary during ASEAN-related engagements.
Thailand, meanwhile, has announced a “calibrated re-engagement” policy aimed at gradually supporting Myanmar’s return to ASEAN while encouraging progress on the Five-Point Consensus.
ASEAN foreign ministers reaffirmed during their Thailand meeting that the 5PC remains the bloc’s “main reference” in addressing Myanmar’s political crisis.
Myanmar’s participation in ASEAN meetings has been limited to non-political representation since 2021 following the military takeover that triggered ongoing political instability in the country.
