ASEAN envoy meets Myanmar minister, discusses civil war and aid access

The Southeast Asian bloc's special envoy, Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Teresa Lazaro, met Myanmar's Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe during a visit to the country. The meeting focused on discussing Myanmar's civil war and humanitarian access.

Myanmar is experiencing turmoil since a military coup in 2021 that has resulted in an estimated 100,000 deaths and the displacement of over 3.5 million people. In August, Myanmar announced that there was no longer a need for an ASEAN special envoy in the country.

During her visit to Myanmar's capital, Naypyitaw, Lazaro sought to meet Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the coup. Lazaro's office confirmed that she inquired about the well-being of Suu Kyi, and received a positive response. However, they made no mention of discussing Suu Kyi's status during her official statement.

Myanmar's government expressed interest in normalizing ties with ASEAN after being barred from summits in 2021 for failing to de-escalate the conflict following the military coup. The state-run newspaper, Global New Light of Myanmar, reported that Lazaro discussed ways to restore Myanmar's original role and rights within ASEAN.