UN to hold conference in Myanmar next year to resolve Rohingya crisis

The UN will hold an all-stakeholders high-level conference on the situation of the Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar in 2025 to propose a time-bound plan for a sustainable resolution of the Rohingya crisis.

The initiative was called for by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus during the 79th UNGA in September.

The UN General Assembly in New York adopted a resolution towards this end yesterday, according to a statement of the Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.

Through the resolution, the UN Member-States decided to review the overall crisis in order to propose a comprehensive, innovative, concrete and time-bound plan for a sustainable resolution of the crisis, including voluntary, safe and dignified repatriation of Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar.

"For us and for the sake of regional as well as international security, creating conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar is of utmost importance," said Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, permanent representative of Bangladesh to the UN, while delivering a statement after the adoption of the resolution on Rohingya Crisis at the Third Committee of the UNGA.

The resolution, titled "The situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar", jointly tabled by the Organization for Islamic Cooperation and the EU, was in the Third Committee of the UNGA by consensus which was co-sponsored by 106 countries, marking a significant level of international support.

This year, the resolution, among other issues, called for ensuring the right to return of all refugees, including Rohingya Muslims under shelter in other countries, and taking concrete actions to create conditions necessary for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return and reintegration.

Bangladesh shelters some 1.2 million Rohingya people, most of whom fled a genocide in the Myanmar's Rakhine State.

The UN resolution recognises and highlights serious human rights violations and abuses, including killings, destructions and burning of houses; hindrance in accessing humanitarian assistances; and forced recruitment of civilians, particularly Rohingya Muslims and other minorities, including children.

It also reaffirmed commitment to support all accountability processes to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The resolution further emphasises the critical role of ASEAN as a regional organisation and highlighted its initiatives in fulfilment of the five-point consensus in its entirety.

In his statement, Ambassador Muhith described how the protracted presence of the Rohingyas in Bangladesh has created a complex and worrisome situation.

He expressed disappointment that no real progress could be made in the last seven years to address the root causes of the crisis.

Referring to the Security Council resolution and the resolution adopted in the Third Committee of the General Assembly, he urged the international community to take necessary actions in creating conditions necessary for the return of Rohingya Muslims.

He also emphasised on adequate funding for the humanitarian response plan to support the Rohingya Muslims, pending their return.