MANILA — Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen left the Philippines on Wednesday morning following the conclusion of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits in Manila.
Myanmar’s de facto leader departed via Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City this morning.
Suu Kyi, who is facing mounting global pressure over the Rohingya crisis, was urged by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to allow the refugees in Bangladesh to return during their meet at the Manila summit.
Over 600,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to neighboring Bangladesh since August.
Suu Kyi was a Nobel Peace Prize awardee in 1991 for her campaign for democracy in Myanmar despite a military-backed government.
Meanwhile, the Cambodian leader left aboard his plane from the Manila airport before 9 a.m.
Hun Sen, one of the longest-serving leaders in the world, has been in power for 32 years.
Hun Sen and Suu Kyi were the first world leaders to arrive for the regional bloc’s summit.
Both ASEAN leaders attended the welcome dinner hosted by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last Saturday at the Midori Hotel in Clark.
Upon his invitation, Hun Sen was able to meet Filipina actress Marian Rivera during the welcome dinner.
Rivera’s soap operas “Dyesebel” and “Marimar” were aired in Cambodia.
During the three-day summit, the world leaders tackled issues such as the rise of radicalization and violent extremism, global and regional economic outlook, economic integration, women empowerment, migrant workers, malnutrition, climate change, youth, and poverty.
The landmark signing of a Consensus on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers was among the highlights of the summit.
The bloc also held successive summits with its Dialogue Partners as well as the ASEAN-led mechanisms — the ASEAN Plus Three and the East Asia Summit, noting the importance of cooperation in addressing issues that affect the peace, security, and prosperity of the region.
The leaders also had two business council meetings — the ASEAN Business Advisory Council and the East Asia Business Council. (Filane Mikee Cervantes/PNA)
