Christine Schraner-Burgener - Turmoil in Myanmar: what can the international community do?

Following the military takeover on 1 February 2021, the already precarious situation in Myanmar, marked by numerous ethnic conflicts, has deteriorated significantly. The military junta has enacted a harsh crackdown on civil protests, leading to the deaths of hundreds of civilians and the arrests of thousands. Protesters have formed people’s defence forces in retaliation, and clashes with ethnic armed groups have flared up in various parts of the country. The political crisis in Myanmar is compounded by the spread of COVID-19 while mass displacement, food insecurity, and a breakdown of national institutions further increase the need for humanitarian assistance. In her address to the IIEA, the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General discusses her own efforts to revive dialogue and peace negotiations at an international and regional level, as well as the UN’s work to address the humanitarian situation in Myanmar. Dr Mary Murphy, Senior Lecturer in Politics at University College Cork, chairs this event and joins the Special Envoy in a brief discussion on the situation in Myanmar. As part of the IIEA's Global Europe Project, this webinar is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs. About the Speaker: Ms Christine Schraner-Burgener was appointed Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General on Myanmar in April 2018. Ms Burgener has over 25 years of experience in diplomacy, having served in various high-level government positions in the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Ms Burgener was the Ambassador of Switzerland to the Federal Republic of Germany from 2015 to 2018. From 2009 to 2015, she served as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand and led efforts to mediate between the two sides in the violence that erupted in Thailand in 2010.