South and Central Asia: U.S. Support of Memorandum of Understanding between UNHCR, UNDP, and the Government of Burma to Create the Conditions for the Voluntary Return of Rohingya Refugees from Bangladesh

We welcome the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by UNHCR, UNDP, and the Burmese government to support the creation of conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to Burma, whether to their places of origin or of their choosing.

This is a positive step. We see this MOU as a confidence-building measure that, if effectively implemented, could allow much-needed humanitarian assistance to reach all affected communities and assist Burma in creating the necessary conditions for voluntary return and to support recovery and resilience-based development for the benefit of all communities living in Rakhine State.

We encourage the Burmese government to fulfill its commitment to work with UNHCR and UNDP to implement the recommendations of the Kofi Annan-led Advisory Commission on Rakhine State.