The UN General Assembly held a high-level meeting on the situation of Muslims and other ethnic minorities in Myanmar on September 30 at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Opening the meeting, President of the 80th UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock highlighted the urgency of seeking a peaceful and sustainable resolution to the prolonged humanitarian crisis and conflict in Myanmar.

Meanwhile, ASEAN’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, Othman Hashim, emphasized ASEAN’s central role in promoting dialogue among relevant parties, urging adherence to and implementation of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus to end violence and pave the way for peace in Myanmar.

Julie Bishop, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General on Myanmar, underscored the necessity of a comprehensive political solution and highlighted the severe humanitarian situation faced by Muslims and other ethnic minorities in the country.

In his speech, Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, expressed deep concern over years of violence, natural disasters, and humanitarian difficulties in Myanmar.

He called on all parties to exercise restraint, end violence, and move swiftly towards a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire. Regarding the situation in Rakhine State, Vietnam’s representative emphasized the need to deal with the root causes of the conflict, ensure the safe, voluntary, and sustainable return of displaced persons, and maintain humanitarian assistance for vulnerable groups.

Counsellor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen affirmed that any solution to the Myanmar crisis must respect the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right to self-determination of the Myanmar people.

He highlighted the importance of effectively carrying out ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus, applauded Malaysia for its role as ASEAN Chair and the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar in promoting consultations and dialogue, and called for strengthened cooperation between ASEAN and the UN.

Vietnam reiterated its commitment to make positive contributions to peace and stability in Southeast Asia, including joint efforts to build trust and enhance dialogue among concerned parties in Myanmar.

Vietnam hopes for stability to return to Myanmar soon

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 22 emphasised that Vietnam is always closely monitoring the situation in Myanmar and hopes for a prompt return to stability there, for the benefit of the local people as well as for regional and global peace and stability.