Philippines hosts Myanmar political, ethnic groups for 'stakeholder meeting'
The Philippines has hosted a meeting involving political and ethnic stakeholders from military-ruled Myanmar, marking a renewed attempt by ASEAN to revive its long-stalled peace efforts in the conflict-hit country.
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said Manila, as the current ASEAN chair, convened the “stakeholders’ meeting” as part of efforts to advance the bloc’s Five-Point Consensus, the peace framework agreed with Myanmar’s generals in 2021. Lazaro, who also serves as ASEAN’s special envoy on Myanmar, did not disclose which groups attended or the exact timing of the talks.
In a post on X, Lazaro said participants were urged to share their views in a constructive and meaningful manner, with discussions focusing on reducing violence, improving humanitarian access, tackling transnational crime and reopening channels for inclusive political dialogue.
Myanmar has been engulfed in turmoil since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, triggering mass protests that escalated into a nationwide armed conflict between the junta and an alliance of ethnic armed organisations and pro-democracy forces.
The military is currently conducting a phased general election, with two rounds already completed. Early results show low voter turnout and strong gains for parties aligned with the armed forces. The polls have been widely criticised by opposition groups and international observers as an attempt to legitimise continued military control. ASEAN has declined to send election observers.
Despite limited progress on aid delivery, the Five-Point Consensus has largely stalled, with fighting continuing across large parts of the country and the junta refusing to engage with groups it brands as terrorists.
The talks come ahead of an ASEAN foreign ministers’ retreat in Cebu next week, where Myanmar is expected to feature prominently on the agenda.
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