The European Commission confirmed to EUROPE, on Thursday 4 March, that it had withheld part of the development aid funds to Myanmar.
Earlier in the day, Reuters reported that the EU had informed a World Trade Organisation committee that it had put a hold on all development cooperation that could support the military authorities.
“Following the coup on 1 February, the EU immediately put on hold all development cooperation activities that could support or legitimise the military authorities”, explained a Commission spokesperson.
In concrete terms, the two Budget Support programmes on education and nutrition, as well as two programmes related to police and electoral reform and technical assistance to ministries, have been put on hold.
The Commission is also in the process of reviewing all its development programmes on the ground to see if they can be continued or need to be modified. The aim is to avoid cooperation with the military authorities, while maintaining support for the population.
Over the period 2014-2020, the bilateral development assistance envelope amounted to approximately €700 million. In addition, the EU is continuing its humanitarian aid to the country (see EUROPE 12664/25).
On 22 February, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, announced that the Union would suspend its direct financial support for government reforms (see EUROPE 12663/2). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)