19 Dec 2018
Source: ASEAN Secretariat News
ASEAN Secretary-General meets with Myanmar authorities on Rakhine repatriation plans
NAY PYI TAW, 19 December 2018 – The ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Kung Phoak, and AHA Center Executive Director Adelina Kamal, met with high-ranking officials of key Myanmar and Rakhine State ministries on repatriation plans for displaced people in the state yesterday.
The coordination meeting discussed plans for conducting needs assessment to identify possible areas of cooperation to facilitate repatriation of the displaced people in Rakhine State. Among others, the meeting discussed the Terms of Reference for the needs assessment, capacity building program, and resources and coordination mechanisms. It was agreed that the needs assessment mission would be ASEAN-led in which the AHA Centre will utilise the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) members, both at the regional and national levels.
The meeting was the first high-level consultation following the decision of the 33rd ASEAN Summit in Singapore on 13 November 2018 to continue supporting the Myanmar Government in its efforts to bring peace, stability, and sustainable development in Rakhine State.
Prior to the coordination meeting, the ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim paid a courtesy call on State Counsellor and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, where they discussed how ASEAN could further support the repatriation process. The delegates also visited Rakhine State a day before the coordination meeting to observe the readiness of several reception and transit centres for the repatriation process.