PHNOM PENH: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) convened a meeting on Friday, 6 May, in Phnom Penh, to consult on ASEAN humanitarian assistance to Myanmar. The meeting was chaired by the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia, Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn and the ASEAN Secretary-General, Dato Lim Jock Hoi, with the participation of officials from all 10 ASEAN Member States.
The Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, reiterated the need to implement the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus (5PC) to help the people of Myanmar. He added that ASEAN's assistance to Myanmar is needed to support humanitarian activities, as well as to vaccinate people against Covid-19. He highlighted the importance of the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Aid on Disaster Management (AHA Center) to implement this work.
The Chairman of the Myanmar Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Team, Ko Ko Lan, said at the opening of the meeting that he thanked Cambodia for its assistance to Myanmar in accessing humanitarian aid, and said the country was committed to cooperating with ASEAN to achieve the implementation of the 5PC as well.
ASEAN Secretary-General, Dato Lim Jock Hoi, said that so far ASEAN has raised more than US $15 million from ASEAN members and partners, which he said has helped support ASEAN disaster response and helped provide humanitarian assistance to Myanmar as well. He also thanked the Myanmar government for supporting and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance from ASEAN to Myanmar.
The 5PC includes the cessation of violence, the establishment of dialogue between all parties, the coordination of ASEAN Special Envoys, the provision of humanitarian assistance and allowing the Special Envoys to visit Myanmar and fulfill their responsibilities.
Prime Minister Hun Sen, the 2022 ASEAN Chair, met with Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing, via video conference on 2 May 2022, and reminded him of the implementation of the 5PC. He also stressed the need for the ASEAN Special Envoy to meet with all parties involved in the ongoing conflict, including Aung San Suu Kyi and former President Win Myint.
