The situation in Myanmar and the role of ASEAN in helping Myanmar’s peace and stability were discussed at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, Australia. The Myanmar military council’s representative was not invited to the summit. At the summit, ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara met and discussed the Myanmar issue. 1
Similarly, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who was attending the Australia-ASEAN Special Summit, held a separate meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and they issued a joint statement calling on the Myanmar military junta to immediately stop the violence in Myanmar and release those arbitrarily detained. 2
Although the Thai Foreign Minister and some representatives of the Thai military were scheduled to attend an event titled “Towards a Democratic Myanmar and Its Impact on Security Along the Thai Border” in Thailand on 2 and 3 March, the plan was cancelled. Thai officials, Thai parliamentary leaders, the National Unity Government’s (NUG) Foreign Minister, Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations U Kyaw Moe Tun, delegates from UN and international organizations, scholars, Ethnic Revolutionary Organizations (EROs) from Myanmar and Civil Societies Organizations (CSOs) participated in the event. The two-day event mainly focused on Myanmar’s democratic affairs and border issues. Some people said that the NUG could gain diplomatic advantage over the military council. 3
The international community must take “targeted action” to restrict the Myanmar junta’s access to arms, jet fuel and foreign currency to prevent it from committing “atrocities” against its people, said United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, on 1 March. 4
Across Myanmar, 18.6 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. More than 2.7 million people have been displaced nationwide, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported. According to the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), it aims to provide social relief assistance to 5.3 million people, the statement says. 5
1 Myanmar issue discussed at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.
2 Australia and Singapore jointly call for an end to the violence and the release of all those arrested arbitrarily.
3 Thai Foreign Minister fails to attend seminar on Myanmar crisis.
4 UN Human Rights Chief says Myanmar junta’s access to arms, jet fuel and foreign currency mut be cut off.
5 18.6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, more than 2.7 million people displaced.