Arakan News Agency
UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the ongoing violence in Myanmar, calling on all parties to immediately cease hostilities, protect civilians, and ensure unhindered access to humanitarian aid.
In his opening remarks at the ASEAN-UN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, he warned that peace in Myanmar remains out of reach, noting that thousands have been killed and millions displaced both internally and externally, while humanitarian needs continue to grow daily.
He emphasized the urgent need to release all arbitrarily detained individuals, including democratically elected leaders, cautioning that any elections held under current conditions would deepen divisions and exacerbate political instability in the country.
Guterres highlighted that the Rohingya minority and other communities in Myanmar continue to suffer from persecution and repeated cycles of forced displacement over the years.
He stated that Myanmar’s humanitarian response plan is still facing a severe funding shortfall, urging the international community to provide immediate and generous support to meet urgent humanitarian needs and supply the resources necessary to save lives and alleviate suffering.
He also reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in implementing the “Five-Point Consensus” and Security Council Resolution 2669, both aimed at restoring peace and democracy in Myanmar.
In a related context, he called for strengthening global and regional action on climate change, developing governance systems for digital technology and artificial intelligence, and urged ASEAN countries to accelerate carbon emissions reduction and adopt responsible AI to ensure sustainable and inclusive development.
Guterres concluded his speech by stressing the need to enhance international and regional cooperation to combat transnational organized crime, including online human trafficking and fraud networks, affirming that the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will continue supporting ASEAN countries in addressing these growing threats and in promoting regional security and social stability.
During the summit, international and regional human rights organizations urged ASEAN leaders, meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to take a firm stance on the deteriorating human rights situation in Myanmar and to take serious action to address the Rohingya crisis, which has affected Bangladesh and other regional countries since 2017.
