Cambodia holds meeting on ASEAN humanitarian aid for Myanmar

07 May 2022
Cambodia holds meeting on ASEAN humanitarian aid for Myanmar
Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) special envoy to Myanmar, speaks during a press conference at Phnom Penh international airport. Photo: AFP

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) convened a meeting Friday in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, in a new effort to organize humanitarian assistance for strife-torn Myanmar, reports AP.

The hybrid meeting, which some participants joined by video, was attended by high-level representatives from Myanmar and the other nine member states of ASEAN, its external partners, United Nations specialized agencies and other international organizations.

Cambodia is the current chair of ASEAN. The meeting is part of an attempt to revive a “five-point consensus” on Myanmar reached by ASEAN in April last year.

There has been little forward momentum on getting the Myanmar junta to adhere to the consensus. In addition, there has been controversy over Cambodia’s handling of the Myanmar crisis, with some dissension voiced in ASEAN ranks.

The five-point consensus calls for the immediate cessation of violence, a dialogue among concerned parties, mediation by an ASEAN special envoy, provision of humanitarian aid and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy to meet all concerned parties.

The non-partisan group ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights said in an open letter last month to ASEAN leaders that ASEAN’s credibility depends on its ability to act in accordance with the reality of the situation in Myanmar. “The group cannot expect the military to abide by the terms of the Five-Point Consensus or to any international or humanitarian norm for that matter.”