Myanmar

About

The Republic of the Union of Myanmar is a founding member of ICIMOD, along with seven other member states. Myanmar has been a partner of ICIMOD since its inception and has been helping to meet its major objectives of poverty alleviation and environmental conservation in the Hindu Kush Himalayas. Myanmar contributes core support to ICIMOD, with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MoNREC) as nodal agency, and the Forest  Department as designated focal point. The incumbent Director General, Forest Department, formally represents Myanmar in the ICIMOD Board of Governors. Myanmar and ICIMOD are working in the area of enhancing the resilience to climate change and other changes in vulnerable communities through support to livelihood improvement and diversification, and to related capacity building and institutional strengthening. , internships, research and demonstration, and regional and international workshops and conferences, among other activities. ICIMOD`s partner institutions in Myanmar include government agencies, development agencies, academic and research institutions, universities, NGOs and private sector.

Early in 2015, ICIMOD has successfully established an ICIMOD Myanmar Country Desk Office in the MoNREC, the nodal Ministry in Myanmar. The establishment of the ICIMOD Country Desk at the MoNREC would give an opportunity for the activities of ICIMOD’s partners in Myanmar to have an increased ownership and visibility as well as to expand partnerships. The concept of a Myanmar Country Desk is to have a focal point of contact for coordination of the activities with various stakeholders in Myanmar as the ICIMOD activities are increasing. Establishing a Country Desk will help to provide overall facilitation and logistical support and serve as one window system for all matters related to ICIMOD programmatic works in Myanmar. The Desk will also act as communication and outreach of ICIMOD to other stakeholders in Myanmar for increased visibility and potential diversification of ICIMOD programmes.

Furthermore, it is felt that a Country Desk helps to enhance Myanmar-ICIMOD collaboration given the changing context and increasing interests from various development partners. In addition, it would complement the efforts to diversify the ICIMOD programmes and establish partnerships with other government Ministries and Departments keeping in view with the national development priorities of the Government of Myanmar. ICIMOD, as a regional intergovernmental organisation with a unique mandate, would like to continue to strengthen on-going partnerships and explore new opportunities for partnerships in Myanmar toward sustainable mountain development through knowledge generation and regional cooperation.

Country Nodal Agency

  • Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation

Country Focal point

  • Bhaskar Karky
    Resource Economist and Carbon Finance Specialist, Country Focal point
    ICIMOD

Regional Programmes engaged in Myanmar

Regional Programme 1: Adaptation and Resilience Building
Regional Programme 2: Transboundary Landscapes

Conservation and sustainable use of natural resources (biodiversity, rangelands, farming systems, forests, wetlands and watersheds) in landscapes defined by ecosystems rather than administrative boundaries

Regional Programme 3: River Basins and Cryosphere

Economic and social benefits derived from water resources in an equitable manner while conserving and, where necessary, restoring freshwater ecosystems; Regional cryosphere knowledge hub to collate and share knowledge of partners working in the region, and to build capacity to study the cryosphere.