ASEAN special envoy to visit Myanmar later this month
Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
ASEAN special envoy, Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, will make his second trip to Myanmar, on June 29th and 30th, to follow up on the implementation of the ASEAN five-point consensus (5PC), according to an informed source.
The source said that the trip was postponed from this week due to some technical problems in Myanmar. Prak briefed the UN Security Council (UNSC) at the end of last month on the progress of 5PC and ASEAN’s future plan.
The second trip will be substantial, to ensure that there is marked progress in the implementation of 5PC, which was agreed upon in April 2021, according to the source, who asked not to be identified. The ASEAN chair has asked to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy, as well as other key stakeholders.
The State Administration Council (SAC), the official name of the military junta, has been dragging its feet in fully implementing all five conditions. Some ASEAN members have expressed frustration and threatened to recognise the National Unity Government (NUG) in exile. Malaysia recently met with NUG representatives.
The source said that some progress has been made on humanitarian assistance and its future plans. Prak hopes that the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management and ASEAN’s need assessment teams will be able to develop action plans to distribute humanitarian assistance, including vaccines, to all affected areas.
On May 6th, the ASEAN chair held the Consultative Meeting on ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance (AHA) to Myanmar in Phnom Penh, which produced three key outcomes—the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Delivery Arrangement Framework, addressing operational challenges in the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the framework for COVID-19 vaccine administration in Myanmar.
According to Prak’s UNSC briefing, the AHA Centre will be working closely with the Myanmar Task Force to implement the humanitarian assistance plan. Furthermore, the SAC has agreed to expedite the delivery of humanitarian assistance and facilitate administrative and legal requirements. Prak also pointed out that the SAC had pledged to offer full cooperation and support to ASEAN’s monitoring team inside Myanmar.
