UN envoy to begin four-day visit to Myanmar

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Myanmar will begin a four-day visit to the South-East Asian nation tomorrow at the invitation of the Government, the United Nations confirmed today.

This will be Ibrahim Gambari's fifth visit to the country over the past year and a half. He was last there in August 2008.

On previous visits, Mr. Gambari met with a range of actors, including senior Government officials, as well as the detained pro-democracy leader and Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Mr. Ban has asked his Special Adviser to visit Myanmar to continue his consultations with the Government and other relevant parties to the implement the good offices mandate entrusted to the Secretary-General by the General Assembly, according to a statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

“He looks forward to meaningful discussions with all concerned on all the points raised during his last visit,” the statement added.

Last month, Mr. Ban voiced his growing frustration that the UN's long-standing efforts to promote national reconciliation and democratization in Myanmar have yet to achieve the desired results and urged the Government to release all political prisoners immediately and initiate “genuine dialogue” with the opposition.