Myanmar - Joint Peace Fund (JPF)
The conflict in Myanmar is the world's longest ongoing civil war, having lasted more than seven decades. As there is no development without peace, Switzerland supports the Joint Peace Fund (JPF), a multi-donor fund, for joint action on the peace process launched in 2016. Following the military coup where levels of conflict have risen exponentially, the fund focuses on conflict transformation rather than peace and prepare stakeholders to engage in dialogue and negotiations.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Myanmar |
Conflict & fragility nothemedefined
Conflict prevention
|
01.06.2023
- 30.05.2027 |
CHF 3’800’000
|
- Conflict Monitoring and Management: Conflict monitoring and management contribute to conflict transformation.
- Dialogue and Coordination: Stakeholders are enabled to prepare for and engage in dialogue that contributes to inclusive pathways to peace and conflict transformation.
- Political Dialogue in the form of Panglong Conferences took place four times since 2016 and the participants of those conferences have reached 73 agreements in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signed in 2015.
- Two additional EAOs (New Mon State Party and Lahu Democratic Union) signed the NCA in 2018, making a total of 10 EAOs signatories.
- The Liaison Offices (LOs) aimed to facilitate contact between the EAOs on one hand, and the government and the military (Tatmadaw) on the other; by mid-2022 81% of the LOs were functioning; 42 LOs were supported by the JPF.
- 62 Negotiation meetings supported through a grant to the Nyein Foundation to support NCA Signatory EAO office; these were meetings between the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST), NCA-signatory EAOs and non-signatory EAOs.
- United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), UNOPS respects the UN engagement principles.
-
Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation Civilian peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution
Cross-cutting topics Conflict reduction
Aid Type Basketpooled multi-donor fund
Project number 7F09542
Background | Since gaining its independence in 1948, the Myanmar Army and several ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) have been engaged in civil conflict. Under the two civilian administrations from 2011 to 2020 however, many people saw a glimpse of hope for the resolution of the 75-year conflict. On 1 February 2021, the Myanmar armed forces staged a coup claiming that the 2020 elections organized by the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led Governement were widely rigged. This was followed by peaceful protests which were violently repressed by state security forces, leading to many young people deciding to take up arms against the military rule. The coup has suspended Myanmar’s formal peace process started in 2011. Within this drastically changed context, the JPF has had to adapt its strategy taking into account the continuing need for external support to contribute to an eventual peaceful political settlement. JPF continues supporting stakeholders to coordinate, prepare for and engage in communication that contribute to inclusive, negotiated pathways to peace. The JPF has significantly streamlined the size of the fund and reduced its partnerships to those that were measured to be the best performing and critical to contributing to success in a highly polarized and complex new conflict environment. Switzerland has been engaged with the Fund since its inception in 2016 and in leading its governance. It brings an added value to the Fund, given its extensive network with EAOs and its historic relationship with the Myanmar Armed Forces, complemented by its strong field-based perspectives and a commitment to maintaining engagement with all parties to the conflict. The JPF represents an early common engagement of all of the Swiss foreign policy instruments, a key success of the implementation of the Nexus approach. |
Objectives | The overall goal is to strengthen the conflict monitoring and management mechanisms enabling relevant stakeholders to engage in dialogue and coordinationto contribute to the prospects for conflict transformation. Gender and inclusion will underpin the Fund intitiatives. |
Target groups |
Any party to the overall conflict resolution process. Stakeholders: De facto authorities, Myanmar Armed Forces (TMD), all nonstate armed groups, Parliament, political parties, Civil society, women and youth, conflict-affected and marginalized communities. |
Medium-term outcomes |
|
Results |
Expected results: 1.1: institutional capacity for conflict transformation strengthened; 1.2: operation of liaison and peace/mitigation offices supported; 1.3: community peace support; 1.4: gender, women, peace and security in conflict management and analysis promoted and strengthened; 1.5: conflict monitoring and analysis funded. 2.1: initiatives and structures for dialogue supported; 2.2: women’s leadership in dialogues promoted/strengthened; 2.3: initiatives and structures coordination supported; 2.4: initiatives and structures facilitation supported; 2.5: public participation and accountability strengthened; 2.6: institutional capacity for dialogue and coordination enhanced Results from previous phases: Results before the military coup: Results after the military coup: |
Directorate/federal office responsible |
SDC |
Project partners |
Contract partner United Nations Organization (UNO) |
Coordination with other projects and actors | Within the Swiss portfolio, coordination and synergies with the portfolio of the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) (e.g. support to the office of the UN Special Envoy on Myanmar); with SDC bilateral projects working in EAO controlled areas (such as Direct Action and Primary Health Care (PHC) project); and with other Swiss multilateral contributions (ICRC). |
Budget | Current phase Swiss budget CHF 3’800’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF 1’900’000 |
Project phases | Phase 2 01.06.2023 - 30.05.2027 (Current phase) Phase 1 01.04.2016 - 31.12.2022 (Completed) |