Asean reaffirms Myanmar-led peace path at 5PC consultation

(L-R) Malaysia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Myanmar's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hau Khan Sum, Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Sangiampongsa, East Timor's Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas, and Vietnam's Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung pose for a group photo during the Asean Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Cebu City on January 29, 2026. - AFP

CEBU CITY, Philippines: Asean foreign ministers sent a fresh signal of unity on Myanmar, reaffirming their backing for a Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led path towards a peaceful and lasting solution.

They made the collective pledge at the Extended Informal Consultation on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) held in conjunction with the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Retreat here on Wednesday (Jan 28)

The consultation was chaired by Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, who is also the Special Envoy of the Asean 2026 Chair on Myanmar.

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan took part in the consultation alongside his Asean counterparts.

In a post on X, Lazaro said she had held engaging discussions with her Asean colleagues during the consultation.

"We shared views on the implementation of the 5PC, discussed ways forward, and reaffirmed Asean’s collective resolve in finding a peaceful and lasting solution that is Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led,” she wrote.

Asean has repeatedly stressed the need for the full and effective implementation of the 5PC, adopted in 2021, to address the crisis in Myanmar. - Bernama