The South-East Asian bloc Asean’s special envoy on Myanmar will lead a humanitarian mission to the country, Asean chair the Philippines said.
The two-day visit by Maria Theresa Lazaro (pic), the Philippine foreign secretary, began yesterday.
It includes a planned trip to Shan State and engagements in Naypyitaw.
However, Myanmar’s army-backed government has yet to officially confirm the visit, having stated in August that a special envoy was no longer needed.
Lazaro has previously requested access to Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained since being toppled in a 2021 military coup.
The resulting civil war has killed an estimated 100,000 people and displaced more than 3.5 million.
Due to non-compliance with an Asean-led peace plan, Myanmar’s top military leadership remains barred from high-level bloc summits.
Nevertheless, several member states – including Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos – have recently hosted coup leader Min Aung Hlaing for official visits. — Reuters
