Brussels, 01/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 1 June, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and the European Commission adopted a joint communication entitled “Elements for an EU strategy vis-à-vis Myanmar/Burma: A Special Partnership for Democracy, Peace and Prosperity”. The aim of the joint communication is to support reforms in Burma/Myanmar, now the democratically elected government has taken up office (on 1 April 2016) (see EUROPE 11521).
The joint communication comprises 17 pages and looks at “how best to work with all stakeholders towards consolidating democracy, creating lasting peace, bringing equitable development and social justice in alignment with the priorities of the government and the aspirations of the people”, the Commission press release states.
Through the actions linked to this communication, the EU wants to help build effective institutions, assist the reform of the security sector, and have increased and differentiated engagement with society as a whole. The EU should establish a dialogue with the military on their role in a modern democracy, and should support the modernisation and transformation of police services, according to the joint communication. In order to contribute to the establishment of lasting peace, the EU will share its experience and work on building trust between the parties and supporting their reconciliation. Concerns about human rights will also be the subject of a discussion with the Burmese government.
In the economic field, the EU would like to conclude an agreement on investment protection, while promoting corporate social responsibility and responsible investment. It would also like to step up its cooperation with Burma/Myanmar as a member of the ASEAN. Europeans want to work directly with the relevant institutions to improve the efficiency of social services and to design sectoral policies as part of an approach aimed at strengthening the state apparatus, the Commission press release says. “Targeted technical cooperation will also be expanded to support the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development”, the press release adds.
The measures proposed in the joint communication will now be the subject of discussions with the member states and European Parliament over the coming weeks, the Commission states.
The EU's financial envelope for Burma/Myanmar is around €688 million for 2014-2020. This includes €241 million for rural development, agriculture, food security and nutrition, €241 million for education, €96 million for governance, the rule of law and state building capacities, and €103 million for supporting the consolidation of peace. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)