Myanmar earthquake: The latest test of Asean leadership

The earthquake

that struck Myanmar on March 28

dealt yet another blow to a country already on its knees. With the lowest gross domestic product per capita among Asean member states, Myanmar is grappling with the compounded effects of natural disaster, domestic conflict and economic collapse.

Already reeling from years of political turmoil

following the military junta’s return to power in 2021,

the quake feels less like an isolated event and more like a tipping point. And once again, it has exposed how international humanitarian aid – in both its speed and configuration – is shaped by political realities. This crisis offers a window into a humanitarian system under strain: where the balance of actors is shifting, and the ability to act quickly is an exception rather than the norm.