US prioritises own interests over Myanmar’s democracy in new strategy statement

The United States government has signalled a major shift in its policy on Myanmar, moving away from its traditional stance of seeking to promote democracy in the country towards an approach based on advancing American interests. In a recently released strategy document, the US State Department said that its new priorities for Myanmar were to tackle transnational crime, gain access to rare earth minerals, expand American influence in the region, and secure a peace agreement in Myanmar by the end of the decade. The 11-page document makes no mention of the lack of democracy in the military-ruled nation or of existing sanctions on the regime that seized power in February 2021, triggering the ongoing civil war that the US says it seeks to end. These peace efforts, which will be facilitated by US Embassy-sponsored dialogue sessions involving unspecified stakeholders, “will create opportunities to access Burma’s bountiful rare earth resources and combat scam centres,” according to the document. The talks will “prepare for nationwide peace discussions by end-2030 to increase US influence and create an environment for US investment over other regional actors,” it adds. The strategy further aims to secure at least three business, investment, or infrastructure agreements in Myanmar worth more than US$5 million each for American companies. It also addresses another signature issue of US President Donald Trump’s administration, illegal immigration, noting that “Burma nationals currently hold the highest visa overstay rate in the United States.” The administration seeks to “reduce overstay rates of nationals of Burma to zero while expanding repatriation cooperation with Burmese authorities,” the document says. Students attend night classes at a school established by the National Unity Government in Sagaing Region (Photo: Gon Yi) Last month, it was revealed that a senior State Department official had held direct talks with junta chief Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw in mid-September, reversing the longstanding US policy of isolating the regime. The release of the State Department’s new “mission strategy framework” for the US Embassy in Yangon has confirmed what reports of that meeting had already suggested, according to Myanmar Now political commentator Thuta Zaw. “The US government’s Myanmar strategy is an open declaration that it is abandoning the democracy and human rights standards it has pursued since 1988 and officially adopting President Trump’s America First policy, which is based on national interests,” he said. The new US strategy represents a significant departure from the Myanmar policy adopted by the administration of Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden. In July 2022, the US Embassy released a similar document identifying the restoration of democracy in Myanmar as its primary objective. It also listed humanitarian assistance and building relationships with the people of Myanmar as key priorities. This contrasts sharply with the basic orientation of the current strategy, according to political activist and analyst James Shwe. “It has shifted from a values-based policy to a transactional policy, completely moving away from democracy and toward American interests,” he said. He noted that the US goal of securing a peace agreement by 2030 could put pressure on the National Unity Government (NUG) and others opposed to the regime, while doing little to move the country away from military rule. He also warned that the US peace initiative could create divisions among revolutionary forces and affect their political objectives. He said the NUG and ethnic armed organisations should establish common positions in advance on issues such as achieving a federal democracy and placing the military under civilian control if they face pressure to participate in peace negotiations. “Countless lives have been lost and sacrificed in this revolution. If it simply ends through negotiations without achieving anything, and without delivering the democracy we want, then it will not work,” he said. A view of a rare earth mining site along the Myanmar-China border (Photo: Global Witness) The US also faces complications in its ambitions to gain access to Myanmar’s rare earth minerals. Analysts say it could lead to heightened tensions with China, and that it is unclear how Washington intends to engage with the ethnic armed organisations that control the areas richest in rare earths. Any agreements concerning natural resources, including rare earth minerals, must also take into account the consent of local communities, transparency, and accountability, they add. The regime appears to have the most to gain from the new US policy, but it, too, may not be happy with all of its stated goals, including its push for policy proposals on “fiscal federalism and territorial demarcation in Burma.” The military could be reluctant to accept proposals outlined in the strategy, according to Thuta Zaw, especially those concerning taxation powers for central, state, and regional governments; the allocation of financial and natural resource revenues; and the demarcation of administrative boundaries. He added that the actual implementation of the strategy’s objectives would depend on the US government’s political commitment and financial resources. “The most important thing is that implementing these strategies requires funding. To understand how seriously Trump takes Myanmar, we need to see how many millions of dollars he is willing to spend,” he said. Another issue is the timeline set out in the new strategy. Trump’s presidential term will end in January 2029, long before his target for securing a peace agreement in Myanmar by July 2030. His successor could choose to revises his strategy, or replace it altogether, raising questions about its long-term viability, according to Thuta Zaw.

US prioritises own interests over Myanmar’s democracy in new strategy statement

In a new document, Washington spells out what it wants from Myanmar, while downplaying the country’s political aspirations

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