Canada Hopes For Stability In Bangladesh and Myanmar With New Financial Aid

Canadian government to provide $206.75 million in financial aid to Rohingya and vulnerable groups in Myanmar

Due to the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya people in Myanmar, thousands continue to suffer inhumane treatment and have fled to Bangladesh. In the spirit of humanitarianism, the Government of Canada has announced that it will assist projects in the Cox’s Bazar region of Bangladesh and projects in Myanmar through the Development Assistance Fund (DAF). The total amount of the Development Assistance Fund is $206.75 million, of which $117.5 million will go to the Cox’s Bazar region of Bangladesh and $89.25 million to Myanmar.

According to Action Against Hunger USA, nearly 1.2 million Rohingya currently live in refugee camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar region. These people face various problems, including employment, health, malnutrition, and environmental degradation. Women, children, the disabled, and other vulnerable groups face even more severe problems.

As a result, the development assistance funds to Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, will be disbursed through the following five agencies: International Labour Organization ($44 million), International Organization for Migration ($10 million), United Nations Development Program ($30 million), Nutrition International ($6 million), Plan International Canada ($6.5 million) and BRAC（$21 million).

These projects will help holistically improve the living conditions and quality of life of the Rohingya people. These include helping build a sustainable living environment in the region, addressing health and malnutrition issues due to COVID-19, and helping with refugee issues, gender discrimination, and other vulnerable groups.

For Myanmar, the Canadian Development Assistance Fund will focus on helping women and democracy activities in the country. The disbursements of funds will flow through the following agencies:

Inter Pares ($24.65 million), United Nations Office for Project Services ($15 million), United Nations Office for Project Services ($12 million), Plan International Canada ($8 million), Oxfam Canada ($8 million), International Rescue Committee ($10 million), ActionAid International ($4.6 million) and International Development Research Centre ($7 million).

These projects will enhance assistance and protection for women and vulnerable groups in Myanmar, provide better health services, help them acquire knowledge and skills, improve social cohesion, and advocate women’s rights.

In addition to helping women, protecting Myanmar’s democratic activities is also essential. Since the 2021 Myanmar coup, Myanmar’s democratic environment has been severely affected. Therefore, the Development Assistance Fund will also focus on supporting local individuals or groups to promote democracy, strengthen women’s equal rights research, and build a safe and free cyberspace space.

The Canadian government will also provide an additional $2.26 million in funding for the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar through the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program. This funding will help Myanmar’s independent investigative agencies to help them prosecute those who have committed international law and severe international crimes in Myanmar.