Southeast Asian foreign ministers are gathering for their first meeting this year under the regional bloc’s new chair, Malaysia, seeking a breakthrough over Myanmar’s drawn-out civil war and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since 2021 when its military overthrew the government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Asean Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) began on Saturday to engage in in-depth discussions on key regional issues, formulate recommendations, and align Asean Member States in preparation for the ministerial-level meeting the following day.