Sustaining Myanmar's Transition: Ten Critical Challenges

Sustaining Myanmar's Transition: Ten Critical Challenges takes stock of progress and challenges in Myanmar’s reform process in the two years leading up to June 2013, and thinks through ways of strengthening U.S.-Myanmar relations going forward.

The report identifies ten critical challenges facing Myanmar’s leaders and concludes with ideas aimed at advancing a new stage in U.S.-Myanmar relations, which would move beyond the transactional nature of the current relationship and toward greater normalization. These recommendations focus on:

• Strengthening government and civil society capacity and fostering cooperation between the two sectors
• Working closely with government institutions to help them become more effective in carrying out reforms and responding to their public constituents
• Initiating sustained U.S-Myanmar parliamentary exchanges
• Developing ties with Myanmar’s military leaders to help them redefine their role in an emerging democracy

Co-authored by former Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Myanmar Priscilla Clapp and Asia Society’s Vice President of Global Policy Programs Suzanne DiMaggio, the report builds on nearly four years of policy dialogue and analysis carried out by Asia Society’s ongoing U.S.-Myanmar Initiative. The report also draws on the authors’ visit to Myanmar in March 2013, which included consultations with parliamentarians, senior government officials, President Thein Sein’s advisors, business and civil society leaders, activists, and journalists.