Myanmar’s Humanitarian Challenges in 2023
MYANMAR STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Webinar
The military coup in Myanmar on 1 February 2021 sparked off political instability and unprecedented socio-economic and humanitarian crises on top of the Covid-19 pandemic challenges. In 2023, the people of Myanmar continue to face a bleak future with no respite from the insecurities, displacements, and disruptions to basic services caused by ongoing conflict, and political and economic uncertainties. UNOCHA reports that a total of 17.6 million people (a third of whom are children) will need humanitarian assistance in 2023, compared to 14.4 million in 2022 and 1 million before the 2021 coup.
Humanitarian assistance and access to affected communities have been heavily restricted since the 2021 coup. Restrictions on telecommunications and internet have also affected timely and safe responses. Local community networks and organisations are key to delivering aid and assistance to Myanmar, but they also face constraints. Humanitarian needs are particularly acute in the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha, especially in hard-to-reach areas in Rakhine State, where State Administration Council (SAC) restrictions are impeding access to communities in need, by local and international responders alike.
In this webinar, ISEAS’ Myanmar Studies Programme invites practitioner and research perspectives on Myanmar’s humanitarian challenges in 2023.
About the Speakers
Robert Chua is a retired career diplomat. He served as Singapore’s Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar from May 2006 to December 2017, and was concurrently Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.
Hnin Htet Htet Aung is research assistant at the Institute for Global Governance Research and a Master’s student at the School of International and Public Policy at Hitotsubashi University.
Kyaw Hsan Hlaing is an independent journalist and researcher from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, and is the author of several articles and first-person accounts on human rights, humanitarian crises, political transitions, and issues related to the 2021 coup in Myanmar.
Dr Alistair D. B. Cook is Coordinator of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Programme and Senior Fellow at the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre), S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore.
Registration
This webinar will be delivered online entirely. You can join the webinar at the specified date and time using devices (computer, phone, or tablet) with internet connection.
Please register here to receive your unique link for joining the webinar.
If you have questions for the speakers, please key in your questions via the Q&A, stating your name and affiliation. The moderator will field them to the speakers during the Q&A session.