WASHINGTON — The United States will support international financial institutions’
(IFI) assistance to Burma, its Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said on
Thursday, paving the way for this Southeast Asian nation to receive financial
support from organizations such as the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF).
“On Oct. 12, the Secretary of
State made a determination that it is in the national interest of the United
States to support international financial institution assistance to Burma,” the
State Department said. “The determination paves the way for the United States
to support assistance to Burma through IFIs and to continue to support ongoing
reform efforts.”
This statement would appear to
back up the requirements of recent Congressional legislation which was signed
into law by US President Barack Obama.
Such a determination is significant
for Burma, as prior to this legislation, the US executive directors at
international financial institutions, including the World Bank, the IMF and the
Asian Development Bank, did not vote in support of any projects or programs for
Burma that required a board decision.
“This determination will enable
the United States to vote on assistance to Burma during the World Bank’s
upcoming board meetings in early November,” the State Department said, adding
that this will also provide the US with the ability to shape the policies and
activities of the IFIs in a way that advances reform, good governance,
transparency, and accountability in Burma.
“The United States supports the
Burmese government’s ongoing reform efforts, and believes the IFIs have a
critical role to play in helping promote stronger institutions to ensure sound
economic policy and good governance in Burma,” the State Department said. The
World Bank and the Asian Development Bank recently opened their offices in
Burma.
By making such a determination,
the US Secretary of State ignored the concerns of the human rights bodies, who
argued that this is not the right time to lift sanctions on Burma.
“Although the United States and
many governments in Europe and Asia have continuously praised President Thein
Sein for the changes taken place in Burma, these are half-way measures in some
areas as well as areas that haven’t changed at all,” said Aung Din, a former
political prisoner and executive director of the US Campaign for Burma, in a
recent statement.
“These changes are not secure and
irreversible yet, and it is the major reason for the argument made by key
stakeholders of Burma, ethnic nationalities, civil society organizations and
democracy activists who all request the United States to maintain the remaining
sanctions. However, their voices are simply ignored,” Aung Din said.
According to Aung Din, the
absence of sanctions removes the motivation for the government to engage in
further and serious negotiations with ethnic groups as well as political reform
leading towards the 2015 election.
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