The UN ambassador of Myanmar’s civilian government, U Kyaw Moe Tun, will remain in the position for the time being as the UN Credentials Committee has declined to meet.
The new Credentials Committee, which is responsible for approving the diplomatic representation of all UN member states, was appointed on Sept. 5 with China, Russia, the US, Andorra, Grenada, Nigeria, Solomon Islands, Suriname and Togo as members. China and Russia are both allies of the Myanmar military junta.
Monica Grayley, spokesperson for the president of the General Assembly, told RFA that the committee had not met since it was appointed. Thus, members’ existing credentials will continue to be effective.
“I can confirm that the credentials committee has not sat since the fifth of September, meaning since it was appointed. The credentials that were [valid] before, are the credentials that will remain. Whoever sat last year will sit this year,” Grayley told RFA. The 78th session of the UN General Assembly began on Sept. 5 and will end in August 2024.
The London-based Myanmar Accountability Project welcomed the decision of the Credentials Committee to leave pro-democracy Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun in his seat.
“The nine-member committee’s decision in favor of Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) is all the more remarkable, as Russia and China, both close allies of the junta, are committee members,” it said in a statement.
“We appeal to other organs of the UN, such as the Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court, to allow the NUG to represent Myanmar.”
U Kyaw Moe Tun was appointed to his post before the Myanmar military ousted the National League for Democracy government on Feb. 1, 2021. Later that month, speaking from the floor of the UN, the ambassador rejected the military takeover and voiced support for the civilian NUG, which was formed by elected and ousted lawmakers along with representatives of the ethnic groups.
He has been a key critic of the military junta since then and espoused the cause of the anti-regime movement. For his vocal opposition to the junta’s rule, he was the target of an assassination plot in 2021.
The Myanmar junta has pitted itself against U Kyaw Moe Tun and made a rival claim for the UN seat, putting forward military veteran U Aung Thurein as its choice for UN envoy, but the move has been unsuccessful.
NUG spokesperson U Kyaw Zaw told The Irrawaddy that the Credentials Committee could still decide to consider the case in the coming months. Last year, the committee made its decision on Myanmar’s representation in November and the General Assembly ratified it in December.
“We believe that U Kyaw Moe Tun will continue to represent Myanmar at the UN. The people of Myanmar have also overwhelmingly showed their support for the ambassador. And our government has done the work that needs to be done in diplomatic channels.”
The UN’s Blue Book, which lists heads of state and government, also continues to recognize detained leaders U Win Myint and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as President and Foreign Minister of Myanmar respectively, according to a document released on Sept. 19 when member countries’ leaders began to address the UN General Assembly.
President U Win Myint and State Counselor and Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi have both been detained since the coup.
