Report: EU auditors criticize EU aid to Myanmar as ineffective

BRUSSELS, Feb 7 (KUNA) -- The EU has played a leading role in supporting development priorities in Myanmar and allocated significant funding to the country, according to a new report released Wednesday by the European Court of Auditors released Wednesday.
However, there were shortcomings in the European Commission's assessment of needs and in the implementation of EU assistance, it said, noting that for the 2012-2020 period the EU has allocated almost one billion euro (USD 1.2 billion) to the country.
"The European External Action Service and the Commission responded rapidly to the political changes in Myanmar/Burma, but overall we conclude that EU development support to the country has only been partially effective" said Karel Pinxten, member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the report.
In 2016 and 2017 there were renewed outbreaks of violence against the Muslim Rohingya minority in the state of Rakhine that led to a humanitarian crisis of massive proportions, it said.
"In terms of needs assessment, the Commission did not sufficiently assess the geographical priorities within the country,..and coordination between the Directorates-General managing the development and humanitarian assistance in areas of protracted crisis did not work well," concluded the report. (end) nk.sd