ReliefWeb

Australia and Myanmar have reaffirmed their commitment to development cooperation, sharing their visions for a prosperous and stable Myanmar with an improved quality of life for all its people.

Representatives from AusAID, led by Deputy Director General James Batley, visited Nay Pyi Taw on 29 July for the first annual High Level Consultations on Myanmar–Australia development cooperation. His Excellency Dr U Kan Zaw, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development, headed the Myanmar delegation. The talks build upon a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in January this year.

The AusAID delegation discussed shared priorities for Australia’s growing assistance to Myanmar—more than $82 million in 2013–14 and set to grow to more than $100 million a year by 2015–16. The talks focused on the country’s ambitious reform agenda, health and education in Myanmar, and a range of humanitarian issues.

Around 25 per cent of the population in Myanmar live below the poverty line, with an average life expectancy of 65 years. But buoyed by the deepening reform process, the Myanmar Government is embarking on major initiatives to improve governance, curb corruption and reduce poverty.

Australian aid has contributed to improving the lives of the most vulnerable people in Myanmar. Over the past year alone AusAID has distributed more than 234,000 essential learning packages of textbooks and basic learning materials to schools across the country. Australia is working with state and local governments to improve maternal and child health; it is estimated this support will save the lives of 25,000 children and 3,000 mothers by 2015.

Australian-supported programs are also increasing prospects for long-term, sustainable peace in Myanmar and strengthening democratic governance processes. The Myanmar–Australia Partnership for Reform selects priority areas for development including promoting human rights, improving economic governance and advancing the rule of law.

Australia’s aid to Myanmar is guided by the principles for effective development cooperation that donors agreed upon in the Nay Pyi Taw Accord earlier this year. Experience shows that aligning our aid with national development priorities is integral to achieving real results.

Together with the Myanmar Government, Australia will train more teachers, vaccinate children against communicable diseases, and improve services to the public so that local governments can help more people overcome poverty.