“I don’t think anyone believes those elections will be free and fair. I don’t think anyone believes they will contribute to a solution to Myanmar’s problems,” Guterres said at a press conference on the sidelines of the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits here today.
He was responding to a question on whether the UN would support Asean in preventing the Myanmar military regime from proceeding with the elections, which are expected to exclude large parts of the population, including tens of millions in conflict areas.
Guterres stressed that the international community should focus instead on humanitarian aid and efforts to end the violence.
“This is the moment to increase humanitarian assistance, to stop the violence, and at the same time, to pave the way for a political process that leads to civilian rule and respect for constitutional governance,” he said.
The UN chief’s remarks come amid growing regional concern that the junta’s planned polls, which analysts say will be tightly controlled and exclude opposition-held areas, are aimed at legitimising military rule rather than restoring democracy.
Myanmar has been gripped by turmoil since the military seized power in February 2021, overthrowing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta has since faced widespread armed resistance and international condemnation, while Asean’s efforts under the Five-Point Consensus have made limited progress.
UN chief hails Asean’s role in maintaining stability
Guterres also called for a more balanced global power structure, saying the world must move towards genuine multipolarity to ensure peace, fairness, and effective multilateralism.
He said a world dominated by a few superpowers risks undermining international law and the values enshrined in the UN Charter, and the only way to guarantee a fair and stable international system is by strengthening balanced relations among nations and regional blocs.
Highlighting Asean’s growing role in maintaining regional stability, he said it is essential for different countries and regional groups to build networks across economic and political dimensions.
“This prevents any abuse of power by superpowers and avoids a geopolitical division of the world into opposing blocs, as we saw during the Cold War.
“What we need is harmony, and harmony comes from balance. We need a world with greater equilibrium of power, and for that, we must promote a truly multipolar world,” he said.