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MYANMAR has been barred from assuming the ASEAN chairmanship in 2026, in a clear rebuke to its military junta which continues to face international condemnation following its 2021 coup.
The decision, disclosed during the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders’ summit in Jakarta, marks another diplomatic setback for Myanmar’s ruling generals in their ongoing bid for international legitimacy.
The Philippines will instead take over the rotating leadership of ASEAN in 2026, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr confirmed in a statement issued after closed-door discussions with fellow leaders.
“It is my pleasure to announce that the Philippines is ready to take the helm and chair ASEAN in 2026,” Al Jazeera cited President Marcos telling his ASEAN counterparts during the summit.
“We will fortify the foundations of our community-building and navigate ASEAN as it embarks on a new chapter.”
While no official reason was provided for bypassing Myanmar in the ASEAN leadership rotation, the move comes against a backdrop of ongoing regional and international frustration over the junta’s refusal to implement a peace plan or release detained leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi.
Under ASEAN’s traditional practice, the chairmanship rotates annually among member states based on alphabetical order.
Myanmar had been scheduled to assume the chair in 2026, following Malaysia in 2025.
However, the country’s continued political turmoil and deteriorating human rights record have led to its effective sidelining from high-level ASEAN meetings in recent years.
The ASEAN chair is responsible for convening key regional summits and steering the bloc’s agenda in accordance with the ASEAN Charter.
The decision to shift the chairmanship to the Philippines signals a consensus among member states that Myanmar’s ongoing internal crisis makes it unfit to lead the group at this time.
Since the military coup in February 2021, Myanmar has been gripped by unrest and economic decline.
The junta’s violent crackdown on dissent has been widely condemned, with several ASEAN members pushing for stronger action despite the bloc’s principle of non-interference. - October 15, 2025
