‘The  deployment  of  this  Election  Observation  Mission  confirms  the  European  Union's  continued  commitment  to  the  democratic  transition  of  Myanmar.’  Federica  Mogherini,        EU  High  Representative  for  Foreign  Affairs  and  Security  Policy,  29  September  2015  

 

 

 EU  DEVELOPMENT  COOPERATION  IN  MYANMAR      A  QUARTERLY  NEWSLETTER  PRODUCED  BY  THE  EU  DELEGATION  TO  MYANMAR    

A  QUARTERLY  NEWSLETTER  PRODUCED  BY  THE  EU  DELEGATION  TO  MYANMAR  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           3rd  Quarter,  2015  -­‐  ISSUE  3    

 

Myanmar  hit  by  devastating    floods  and  landslides  

Since  July  2015,  more  than  1.6  million  people  have  been  displaced  and  critically  affected  by  floods  and   landslides   in  Myanmar.   The  EU   is  deeply   saddened   by   the   flooding   that   has  affected  many   areas   of   the   country.  We   are  struck   by   the   remarkable   manifestations   of  solidarity   towards   the   flood   victims.   EU  Ambassador  Kobia  visited  the  flood  victims  in  the   Irrawaddy  region  to   listen  to  and  discuss  their  immediate  and  long-­‐term  needs.  

All   humanitarian   donors   funding  interventions   in   affected   areas   agreed   on  immediate   flexibility   for   responses   with  existing   partners   and   the   release   of  contingency   stocks.   Moreover,   EU   Member  States   allocated   additional   €4.5   million  towards   these   efforts.   The   European  Commission's   Humanitarian   Aid   and   Civil  Protection   Department   (ECHO)   contributed    €1   million   euro   towards   the   relief  interventions   of   the   International  Organisation  for  Migration  and  Action  Contre  la   Faim.   These   organisations   are   providing  shelter   as   well   as   water,   sanitation   and  hygiene   (WASH)   facilities   to   the   populations  of  flood  and  landslide-­‐hit  zones.  

On   the  development   side,   three  multi-­‐donor  trust   funds   supported   by   the   EU   also  responded   to   the   crisis   by   providing   new  funds  and   reallocating  existing  ones   towards  disaster  relief  and  reconstruction.  The    Three  

 

 

 

 

 

 Millennium  Development  Goal   Fund   (3MDG)  allocated   $455,000   worth   of   critical   medical  and   food   supplies.   The   Livelihoods  and  Food  Security   Trust     Fund   (LIFT)   provided  additional   $1   million   to   support   local  microfinance  partners  in  providing  assistance  to   66,651   flood-­‐affected   households,   or  around   286,000   people.   The   Quality   Basic  Education  Programme  (QBEP)  will  redirect  an  estimated  $2  million  towards  flood  response,  prioritising  Rakhine  State,   the  most   seriously  affected   area.   QBEP   will   focus   on  rehabilitating   damaged   schools,   constructing  Temporary   Learning   Spaces,   and   providing  essential  teaching  and  learning  materials.  The  programme   will   also   conduct   trainings   to  improve   the   disaster   preparedness   of  teachers.    

The   EU   has   also   mobilised   experts   to  contribute   to   the   Post   Disaster   Needs  Assessment   (PDNA)   requested   by   the  Myanmar   Government,   in   partnership   with  the   World   Bank   and   UNDP.   The   exercise  started   on   21   September,   and   will   be  completed  by  mid-­‐October.  

Some   of   our   partner   organisations   were  unable   to   conduct   their   development  activities   as   planned   given   the   damage  caused  by  the   floods.  We  recently  witnessed  the  inaccessibility  of  certain  project  locations  in  Chin  State.  We  would  like  to  commend  the  persistent   efforts   made   to   adjust  interventions   in   these   extremely   challenging  conditions.  

EU  Joint  Programming  retreat  

On   1-­‐2   September   2015,   Heads   of  Cooperation   from   the   Czech   Republic,  Denmark,   Finland,   France,   Germany,   Italy,  Sweden,   the   UK   and   the   EU   retreated   to  Taungoo   to   further   strengthen   the  coordination   of   their   development  cooperation.   Together,   we   agreed   on   the  steps   to   take   towards   creating   the   next   EU  Joint   Strategy   for   Myanmar,   which   will   be  launched  in  early  2017.  

 

 

EU  in  the  field  Vocational  training  for  youth    

In  July,  a  team  from  the  EU  Delegation  visited  a   project   that   aims   to   enhance   the   life  opportunities  of  children  in  Yangon  Region.  In  Kawhmu   Township,   our   partner   Fondazione  Terre   des   Hommes   Italia   (TDH)   has   been  addressing   some   of   the   problems   affecting  underprivileged   children.   Since   2013,   TDH  supports    a  governmental  facility  for  children  and   a   monastic   Vocational   Training   school,  both  working   in   the   field   of   child   protection  and  elections.    

 

The   two   centres   have   been   provided   with  new   child   friendly   spaces   and   an   existing  facility  has  been  rehabilitated  to  make  it  safe    

Children  taking  part  in  a  project  in  Mon  State,  July  2015  

EU  Joint  Programming  Retreat,  September  2015  

Child  friendly  space  in  Kawhmu,  July  2015  

The  European  Union  in  Myanmar  

           

 EU  DEVELOPMENT  COOPERATION  IN  MYANMAR      THE  EU  DELEGATION  TO  MYANMAR  

 

 

 

A  QUARTERLY  NEWSLETTER  PRODUCED  BY  THE  EU  DELEGATION  TO  MYANMAR  

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               3rd    Quarter,  2015  |  ISSUE  3    

 

 For  further  information:  

Email:  DELEGATION-­‐MYANMAR-­‐OPERATIONS@eeas.europa.eu  Website:  http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/myanmar/index_en.htm  

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/EUinMyanmar  

Group  discussions  at  the  Civil  Society  Roadmap  launch,  16  September  2015  

Events    29  Sept.  :        Launch  of  MyJustice  –  the  EU            

     access  to  justice  programme      

6  Oct.  :                  Launch    of    the    EU    Trade                    Development  Programme    

   

Oct.-­‐Nov.:      EU  Election  Observation                  Mission  

   

 

for   children   to   live   in.   The   project   aims   at  increasing   the   adolescents’   chances   of   a  successful   social   reinsertion   through  vocational  training.  

Young  decision-­‐makers  in  Mon  State  

In   July,   we   also   travelled   to   Mon   state   to  meet   children,   youth   and   other   actors  involved   in   a   project   implemented   by   our  partner   Save   the   Children.   This   project  encourages  children  and  youth  to  participate  in   local   decision-­‐making   processes.   It   also  seeks  to  strengthen  child  rights  and  children's  awareness  and  understanding  of  their  rights.  Activities  are  taking  place  in  Chin  State,  Shan  State,  Rakhine  State,  as  well  as  Mon  State.    

Children  and  youth  of  Saw  Ke  and  Hnee  Mote  villages  explained  how  the  project  has  helped  them   build   the   confidence   to   speak   out  against  abuses  and  share  ideas  about  how  to  improve   intergenerational   relations   in   their  communities.   Children   and   community  members   alike   reported   a   notable   decrease  in   maltreatment   and   violence   against  children  since  the  start  of  the  project.      

 

Hot  Topics  Launch  of  the  Roadmap  for  Engagement  

with  Civil  Society  in  Myanmar  

 

 

After   a   series   of   consultations   with   Civil  Society   Organisations   (CSOs)   in   Yangon,  Mandalay   and   Mawlamyine,   the   EU  Delegation   met   with   them   once   again   in  

Yangon  on  16   September   to   launch   the  EU's  Roadmap   for   Engagement   with   Civil   Society  in  Myanmar.   The   EU   has   already   completed  such   roadmaps   in   90   countries   around   the  world.    

Together   with   EU   Member   States   and  Development   Partners,   CSO   representatives  discussed   how   the   roadmap   could   be  implemented   in   order   to   best   meet   their  needs.  As  a  result,  very  concrete  inputs  were  presented   to   inform   the   next   steps.   One  significant   outcome   of   this   launch   event   is  the   creation   of   four   reference   groups  comprising   local   CSOs,   representatives   from  EU   Member   States,   INGOs   and   other  Development  Partners.      

Each   group   will   concentrate   on   one   of   the  four   key   roadmap   priorities,   which   are    (i)  to  increase  the  space  for  CSOs  to  operate,    (ii)  to  enhance  the  relationship  between  CSOs  and  public   institutions,   (iii)   to   increase  CSOs'  capacities   for   research,   advocacy   and   policy  dialogue  for  government  and  (iv)  to  enhance  the   organizational   structures   and   internal  management  of  CSOs  and  CSO  networks.  

Further  details  can  be  found  at:  

http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/myanmar/press_corner/all_news/news/2015/20150924_en.htm    

Election  observation  and  preparation  

Following   an   official   invitation   sent   by   the  Union   Election   Commission   in   March   2015,  the   EU   is   sending   an   Election   Observation  Mission   (EOM)   to   Myanmar.   In   addition   to  the   EOM   Core   Team,   30   long-­‐term   and   62  short-­‐term   observers   will   be   monitoring   the  electoral  process  in  Myanmar  during  October  and  November  2015.    

Meanwhile,   our   three-­‐year   STEP   Democracy  programme   (Support   To   Electoral   Processes  and   Democracy   in   Myanmar)   led   by  International   IDEA   has   been   actively  supporting   election   preparations   and  democratic  processes.  One  of  the  aims  of  the  programme  is  to  strengthen  public  awareness  

of   the   elections.   As   Election   Day   nears    (8   November),   the   programme   is   ensuring  that   voter   and   civic   education   activities   can  reach  very  remote  areas  of  Myanmar.  

 Our   partner   the   Friedrich   Naumann  Foundation   is   coordinating   the   activities   of  local   organisations   that   are   conducting  interactive   workshops   across   the   country.  The  EU  Delegation  observed  these  innovative  trainings  in  Chin,  Kachin,  and  Sagaing.    

 

STEP   Democracy   will   reach   more   than  250,000   individuals   through   120   voter   and  civic   education   trainings   ahead   of   the  elections.    

With   the   kind   contribution   of   our   colleagues  from  the  ECHO  Myanmar  field  office.  

Voter  education  training  in  Chin  State,  Sept.  2015  

The  EU  Delegation  “casting  a  vote”  with  the  STEP  Democracy  team  in  Kachin  State,  September  2015