Myanmar’s Diplomatic Battle at the UN

Written by Ahmed Can Sever; Iris Brown; Samir Chowdhary-Fitton; Sigitas Botvycius; Wagena de Tommasi.

For the past two weeks, heads of state and government have descended on New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly to address the international community, speaking not only about their own countries, but also the wider state of the world. However, amid debates over Palestine and the Israeli ongoing occupation, Ukraine, and Iran, the representative for the war-torn nation of Myanmar is fighting his own diplomatic battle in the halls of the UN. 

Kyaw Moe Tun represents the Southeast Asian state where a civil war has been raging since the military overthrew the democratically elected government in February 2021. Despite immediate dismissal by the ruling military junta, he has remained at his post and continues to serve as its representative in exile. 

"Kyaw Moe Tun continues to speak on behalf of a nation unable to choose him as its representative."

The UN General Assembly continues to recognise Tun and the government in exile. However, nations such as China, Russia, and India accept the junta as Myanmar’s legitimate government, resulting in a shaky diplomatic status for Myanmar on the global stage. Despite possessing the power to decide on Myanmar’s representative status, this decision has been repeatedly delayed since the 2021 coup. A vote planned for the end of the month is unlikely to change that. 

Although both the junta and the government-in-exile have powerful backers, the political cost of taking a side, combined with Myanmar’s status as a nation in civil war, has left most nations reluctant to get involved, ensuring that the status quo will endure. In the meantime, Kyaw Moe Tun continues to speak on behalf of a nation unable to choose him as its representative.

For now, Myanmar’s seat at the UN remains occupied by a diplomat whose own government no longer recognises him.