Event Date: May 8, 2023 - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Location: FSS 4006

Presented by CIPS and The Asia Foundation

As Myanmar’s crisis deepens in the wake of the 2021 military coup, relations between opposition groups remain complex. Ethnic leaders show signs of greater unity in pursuing their respective paths, while their links with the main political opposition, the National Unity Government, are at times strained. Regional positions are likewise varied, constraining scope for action by ASEAN, and often contrasting sharply with Western government stances. In the meantime, violence continues to affect large swathes of Myanmar as resistance persists and the military shows no signs of compromise.

Dr. Adam Burke, The Asia Foundation’s Senior Director of Conflict and Fragility Programs, will reflect on the Foundation’s recent role in the Myanmar Regional Forum, an informal, low-key discussion group, as well as research on the effectiveness of recent support for peace processes in Myanmar.

This event will be in English.

Speaker:

Dr. Adam Burke is The Asia Foundation’s director of Conflict and Fragility, effective October 2018. With almost 20 years of experience working across Southeast and South Asia, Burke is a distinguished specialist in conflict, peacebuilding, and development, having worked as researcher and practitioner on many aspects of conflict prevention across the region. As director, he leads the Conflict and Fragility program in addressing pressing conflict, fragility, violence, and security issues and programming opportunities. In addition, he oversees technical support to the Foundation’s country programs in countries affected by conflict, violence, and fragility, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines (Mindanao), Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oxford, and holds a master’s degree in Anthropology of Development and a doctoral degree in Development Studies from the University of London School of Oriental and Asian Studies (SOAS).

Moderated by:

Dr. Nipa Banerjee is currently a Senior Fellow and Principal Researcher at the University of Ottawa. She served as a Senior Policy Analyst in international development and foreign aid for over 30 years with the government of Canada and represented the Canadian government as a diplomat in Bangladesh, Indonesia, India/Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Afghanistan, heading Canada’s aid program in the four latter countries.