Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

Webinar

Myanmar Crisis and the Future of ASEAN

As a regional organisation established to maintain regional peace and security, ASEAN hitherto has not been successful in mitigating the ongoing crisis in Myanmar. Several ASEAN initiatives have been launched, but none has resulted in a satisfactory development to cease the violence against the Myanmar people. The enactment of the “Five-Point Consensus” to the appointment of an ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar should ideally serve as primary instruments to facilitate the process toward finding ultimate solution to the political and humanitarian crisis, at the least to stop atrocities conducted by Tatmadaw. However, the adamant attitude shown by the junta to take clear steps toward implementing the Consensus has clearly presented huge pressure to ASEAN.   

While ASEAN non-consensual decision to prevent SAC attendance in the Summit should be appreciated, this clearly shows that ASEAN has been continuously challenged by its internal lack of coherence in dealing with the crisis.  Without unity, it is hard for ASEAN to play effective role in pressuring the junta to engage with ASEAN and implement the Five-Point Consensus. ASEAN`s latest decision to only allow for a non-political actor from Myanmar to attend the ASEAN Summit in late October has received positive feedback from political observers. With the recent outcome from the latest ASEAN Summit, questions remain about what ASEAN can do beyond issuing statements, particularly as the region looks forward to Cambodian chairmanship to handle the situation in Myanmar.   

Bearing the importance of Cambodian chairmanship next year, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia is organizing a webinar titled “Myanmar Crisis and the Future of ASEAN”. The event aims to achieve three objectives. First, it is to explore and discuss Cambodia’s agenda and strategies as the next ASEAN Chair. Second, to generate ideas and views on how the ASEAN’s next chair can improve ASEAN’s coherence and capacities in dealing with the Myanmar crisis. And third, to sustain public interest on the role of regional actors in solving the crisis in Myanmar.