ASEAN reaffirms engagement with Myanmar, seeks to advance peace plan

Asia ASEAN leaders keep pressure on Myanmar to end violence, while reaffirming engagement under the bloc’s five-point peace plan, Ferdinand Marcos Jr says. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (centre) and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos (right) pose for a photo with Myanmar Director-General of the ASEAN Affairs Department Han Win Aung during the 49th ASEAN Summit on Nov 15, 2026, in Manila, Philippines. (Photo: Reuters) 15 Nov 2026 04:53PM (Updated: 15 Nov 2026 05:19PM) MANILA: Southeast Asian leaders reaffirmed the need to keep engaging with Myanmar while sticking with a plan calling for an immediate end to violence in the war-torn country, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Sunday (Nov 15).Chairing the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Manila, Marcos said the 11-member bloc agreed to pursue "constructive and principled engagement" while adhering to its five-point peace plan, ASEAN's framework for responding to the crisis in Myanmar since a 2021 coup.The summit is under pressure to ease a five-year ban on Myanmar's military-backed leaders attending high-level meetings, after Thailand and several other members stepped up engagement despite Myanmar's civil war.The army-backed government wants to normalise ties with ASEAN after its leaders were barred from summits in 2021 for not de-escalating conflict in the wake of the military coup that brought them to power. ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus Following a 2021 military coup, ASEAN has excluded Myanmar from high-level meetings as it has yet to make meaningful progress on the bloc's Five-Point Consensus to end hostilities. During a meeting in April 2021, all ASEAN leaders reached a consensus about the situation in Myanmar.The five points are:First, there shall be immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and all parties shall exercise utmost restraint.Second, constructive dialogue among all parties concerned shall commence to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the people.Third, a special envoy of the ASEAN chair shall facilitate mediation of the dialogue process, with the assistance of the secretary-general of ASEAN.Fourth, ASEAN shall provide humanitarian assistance through the AHA Centre.Fifth, the special envoy and delegation shall visit Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned. Collapse Expand Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military ousted Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government, triggering the civil war that the UN estimates has killed 100,000 people and displaced more than 3.5 million.Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing's military has received support from China, India and Russia. His administration has gained increasing international recognition in recent months, including secret talks with US officials as the Trump administration reverses years of isolation.Marcos, expressing hope that ASEAN could advance the implementation of the peace plan, said leaders should ask "what more can we do for Myanmar" as the crisis continued to displace families, disrupt communities and affect the country's youth.In addition to seeking an end to the fighting, ASEAN's Myanmar framework calls for constructive dialogue among all parties and offers the bloc's mediation and humanitarian assistance.ASEAN's special envoy on Myanmar, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro, said on Saturday there would be "no easing" of ASEAN's approach toward Myanmar, although a review of the five-point plan and various proposals concerning Myanmar's participation remained under discussion and would ultimately be decided by leaders.