ASEAN Leaders to Hold Meeting on Myanmar’s Current Situation

President Joko Widodo. (Photo by: Press Media and Information Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat)

ASEAN leaders Saturday (04/24) are set to hold the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting (ALM) discussing the developing situation in Myanmar at ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.

“ASEAN leaders, including President of the Republic of Indonesia, have received an invitation from Sultan of Brunei Darussalam as Chair of ASEAN to attend the ALM tomorrow,” Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno LP Marsudi Friday (23/04/2021) said after joining President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo during a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính.

According to Retno, the ALM is an Indonesia’s initiative and a follow-up to talks between President Jokowi and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah as Chair of ASEAN.

The Minister added that this year’s ALM with strict health protocols is the first direct meeting of ASEAN leaders during COVID-19 pandemic that represents the leaders’ concern on the developing situation in Myanmar and also aims to help Myanmar out of the current situation.

Retno further said that until now, three ASEAN leaders including Thailand, Laos, and the Philippines have stated that they are not able to attend the meeting.  (FID/UN) (AP/EP)