Connecting the Strategic and Operational Dimensions of Peacebuilding in Myanmar

On Monday 23 June 2025, the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs’s Peace and Human Rights Division convened a closed-door discussion on the situation in Myanmar. This one-day meeting served as a follow-up to a previous one held in July 2024 and aimed at providing fresh updates on the conflict, share insights from ongoing projects, and reflect on paths forwards for peacebuilding in Myanmar.

The hybrid event brought together over 30 representatives of various organizations involved in peacebuilding efforts in the country, as well as representatives of permanent missions, academia, and experts. Attendees received briefings and engaged with the office of the United Nations Special Envoy on Myanmar and other experts from the region about the most recent developments—all of whom highlighted the complexity and volatility of the situation on the ground, despite continuous regional and international efforts to facilitate a peaceful resolution.

Perpetuated by deeply rooted grievances, a highly fragmented network of armed actors, and a growing lack of trust between parties, the conflict in Myanmar continues to cause widespread suffering and major humanitarian needs. Yet, it also presents enormous political and practical challenges for humanitarian and other peacebuilding actors seeking to respond to some of the needs on the ground.

Discussions over the course of the day highlighted the direct causality between the failure of political processes, armed fighting, and humanitarian needs, evidencing the crucial need for collaboration between all stakeholders involved on these different aspects. Presentations and discussions of ongoing projects by some of the organizations present—ranging from capacity-building in humanitarian negotiation to the dissemination of knowledge on international humanitarian law—revealed some positive developments as well as common challenges, both of which can help guide further peacebuilding activities.

The meeting concluded with participants expressing appreciation for such opportunities to gather and share experiences, especially as many fear the complexity and protracted nature of the conflict, as well as the many obstacles faced by organizations operating on the ground, risk discouraging peacebuilding efforts and could also lead to disengagement from international and regional actors at a time when they are more needed than ever.

As the international aid sector faces existential threats, meanwhile the world’s attention tends to focus on only a few conflicts at time, participants warned against the risk of Myanmar being overlooked—they therefore unanimously welcomed initiatives to maintain focus on peacebuilding in the country, in Geneva and beyond.