Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon met with former President Thein Sein in Naypyidaw to discuss ending violence in Burma during his visit April 23-24. Ban reportedly discussed the importance of including the National Unity Government (NUG) and others in an effort to solve the country’s crisis. “I came to Myanmar to urge the military to adopt an immediate cessation of violence, and start constructive dialogue among all parties concerned,” he said. Ban was sent to Burma on behalf of The Elders, a group of independent global leaders, and lent his support to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Five-Point Consensus. 

Ban Ki-Moon said that under the current circumstances, any election would escalate violence and would not be recognized by the people of Burma, ASEAN, nor the international community. “ASEAN Member States and the wider international community need to show unity and resolve in their commitment to peace and democracy in Myanmar, which is a source of serious international concern. With patient determination, I believe a way forward can be found out of the current crisis. The military must take the first steps,” he added. Ban Ki-Moon’s visit was met with criticism inside the country. “It’s not [the] time for the photo ops with MAH [Min Aung Hlaing] and SAC [State Administrative Council] leaders, it’s time to take concrete actions against the terrorist military to end atrocities in Myanmar,” stated the NUG President Office.