Speeches Shim
USAID aims to partner with the Government of Burma, in collaboration with other development partners, civil society, the private sector, and other key stakeholders, to sustainably reduce hunger and poverty through targeted investments in agriculture and nutrition.
The United States recognizes Burma’s recent reform efforts as the most significant opportunity in decades to engage with the people of Burma and their government in the pursuit of democracy, peace and human rights. Burma faces complex, simultaneous and multi-dimensional transitions: from authoritarian rule to democracy; from armed conflict to peace; and from a centrally managed, planned economy to market-led economic policies.
USAID has been providing humanitarian assistance to Burma since 2000. In 2008, our efforts scaled up in response to the devastation of Cyclone Nargis. From 2008 to 2012, the United States has provided a total of $196 million in bilateral foreign assistance funding to support humanitarian needs, promote democracy, and human rights through projects focused on civil society capacity building, health, education, and humanitarian assistance along the Thai-Burma border, in the Irrawaddy delta, and in central Burma.
In light of the transition underway in Burma, USAID sees a need and an opportunity to engage directly with Burmese organizations and institutions to support political reforms, foster ethnic reconciliation and strengthen the capacity of reform-minded individuals and institutions. USAID is committed to supporting and accelerating the democratic and economic reforms that have begun in Burma, promoting the rule of law and human rights, building transparent and accountable governance leading to credible elections and creating a vibrant civil society that reflects the country’s great diversity.
The Government of Burma committed to working toward becoming a full member of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), a multilateral initiative that secures firm commitments from 57 participating governments on four core principles: 1) transparency; 2) civic participation; 3) anticorruption; and 4) using technology and innovation to make government more open, effective, and accountable.
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