Development work in Myanmar should supplement reconciliation: India

India's cumulative commitment to the country's development through the development partnership programme is over $1.75 billion

India has underscored that the developmental work initiated by United Nations (UN) agencies and international financial institutions in Myanmar should be done in a manner that's supplements and strengthens the country's own efforts towards national reconciliation.

"The UN agencies and international financial institutions have initiated their developmental work in the country. India believes that this work should continue in a manner that supplements and strengthens Myanmar's own efforts," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at a meeting of the 'Partnership Group for Peace, Development and Democracy in Myanmar' here yesterday.

He said India emphasises the need for the international community to engage with the government of Myanmar in order to encourage the advancement of socio-economic development.

India, a "close and friendly" neighbour of Myanmar, remains committed to extending all possible assistance and support to the process of national reconciliation and further strengthening of democracy in the country.

Akbaruddin pointed out that India's cumulative commitment to Myanmar's development through the development partnership programme is over $1.75 billion, which includes people-centric projects in the areas of connectivity and capacity-building, health and education infrastructure and various training programmes.

Describing Myanmar as the window to the East and an important partner in India's Act East Policy, Akbaruddin said establishing connectivity between India and the ASEAN through Myanmar is a priority area for New Delhi.

Apart from disaster relief and development assistance, India has also extended humanitarian assistance worth a million dollars to the Rakhine State through the government of Myanmar as part of its support for the relief, rehabilitation and community building measures being undertaken.