| Project Detail |
The conflict in Myanmar is the worlds longest ongoing civil war, having lasted more than seven decades. As there is no development without peace, Switzerland supports the Joint Peace Fund (JPF), a multi-donor fund, for joint action on the peace process launched in 2016. Following the military coup where levels of conflict have risen exponentially, the fund focuses on conflict transformation rather than peace and prepare stakeholders to engage in dialogue and negotiations.
Since gaining its independence in 1948, the Myanmar Army and several ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) have been engaged in civil conflict. Under the two civilian administrations from 2011 to 2020 however, many people saw a glimpse of hope for the resolution of the 75-year conflict. On 1 February 2021, the Myanmar armed forces staged a coup claiming that the 2020 elections organized by the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led Governement were widely rigged. This was followed by peaceful protests which were violently repressed by state security forces, leading to many young people deciding to take up arms against the military rule. The coup has suspended Myanmar’s formal peace process started in 2011. Within this drastically changed context, the JPF has had to adapt its strategy taking into account the continuing need for external support to contribute to an eventual peaceful political settlement. JPF continues supporting stakeholders to coordinate, prepare for and engage in communication that contribute to inclusive, negotiated pathways to peace. The JPF has significantly streamlined the size of the fund and reduced its partnerships to those that were measured to be the best performing and critical to contributing to success in a highly polarized and complex new conflict environment. Switzerland has been engaged with the Fund since its inception in 2016 and in leading its governance. It brings an added value to the Fund, given its extensive network with EAOs and its historic relationship with the Myanmar Armed Forces, complemented by its strong field-based perspectives and a commitment to maintaining engagement with all parties to the conflict. The JPF represents an early common engagement of all of the Swiss foreign policy instruments, a key success of the implementation of the Nexus approach.
Objectives The overall goal is to strengthen the conflict monitoring and management mechanisms enabling relevant stakeholders to engage in dialogue and coordinationto contribute to the prospects for conflict transformation. Gender and inclusion will underpin the Fund intitiatives. |
