UN envoy on Myanmar quits as head of top Australian university

Julie Bishop, the United Nations special envoy on Myanmar, resigned on Friday from her position as chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU) following months of controversy surrounding the institution’s governance. Bishop, who is also a former foreign minister, headed ANU for six years, during which time she has faced growing criticism from staff and students over her leadership. Her resignation, which went into effect immediately, has been widely reported by Australian media. It also comes amid questions about her UN role, which she has held for the past two years. UN Secretary-General António Guterres appointed her as his special envoy on Myanmar in April 2024, tasking her with supporting diplomatic efforts following the country’s 2021 military coup and ongoing civil conflict. Her tenure as envoy has faced criticism from some Myanmar activists and civil society groups, particularly over concerns that her outside business and lobbying activities could create conflicts of interest with her UN role. Bishop held advisory or lobbying roles linked to mining, fossil fuel, tourism, and technology companies while serving as the UN envoy. Until May 2025, she was also registered in Australia as a lobbyist for Twinza Oil, a company previously involved in a gas project in Myanmar under a contract signed with the former military junta. More recently, observers have noted that Bishop’s official United Nations webpage and related pages connected to the Office of the Special Envoy on Myanmar have been inaccessible for several days, and continue to display missing-page errors or broken links. Myanmar Now reached out to the United Nations regarding the missing webpage, but did not receive a response by the time of publication. The absence of the UN webpage has attracted attention because it coincides with significant political developments inside Myanmar, including reports concerning the leaders of the country’s ousted civilian government, including recently released president Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains in regime custody. Bishop has not issued any recent public statement regarding those developments, despite growing international scrutiny of the military junta and renewed diplomatic discussions surrounding Myanmar’s political crisis. It remains unclear whether Bishop intends to continue serving in the UN role following her resignation from ANU.

UN envoy on Myanmar quits as head of top Australian university

Julie Bishop’s resignation as chancellor of the Australian National University comes amid questions about her role as special envoy

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