Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will urge the UN Secretary-General to meet Aung San Suu Kyi and others in Burma to discuss the lifting of all current restrictions imposed on aid in Burma.

The UK Government is deeply concerned by the situation in Rakhine and by the conflict in Kachin and Northern Shan. We continue together with other countries and the UN to urge the Government of Burma to allow immediate unrestricted access for humanitarian aid. The Government of Burma has now committed to restoring humanitarian access. We are pressing for and stand ready to support the delivery of this commitment. In practice, worrying restrictions on humanitarian assistance remain in parts of Kachin, Northern Shan and Rakhine.

The UN is already undertaking substantial advocacy efforts on Burma both within Burma and internationally. The UN Secretary General visited Burma and raised humanitarian issues with Aung San Suu Kyi in August 2016. The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien raised issues of humanitarian access with Aung San Suu Kyi during his October 2016 visit to Burma. We do not presently propose to urge the UN Secretary-General to meet again with Aung San Suu Kyi.