Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing remains barred from ASEAN summit despite assuming presidency

Hau Khan Sum, permanent secretary of Myanmar’s junta-controlled foreign ministry, stands at the far left in this group photo taken during the opening ceremony of the 48th ASEAN summit in the Philippines on May 8 (Photo: Aaron Favila / AFP) Myanmar’s coup leader-turned-president Min Aung Hlaing will remain barred from attending next week’s ASEAN summit in the Philippines, despite assuming the presidency earlier this year following military-controlled elections. The Philippines, which chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, confirmed on Wednesday that Myanmar would be represented at the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila by the director-general of the ASEAN Affairs Department of its foreign ministry, rather than its president or another political leader. Myanmar Now contacted officials at the junta’s foreign ministry for comment on the decision but received no immediate response. The decision maintains ASEAN’s restrictions on Myanmar’s military leadership, imposed after the February 2021 coup that overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Min. . . Subscribe for full access Myanmar Now's award-winning journalism is made possible by our subscribers. Become one today. Subscribe now Already a subscriber? Log in