General Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar's military junta, has assumed the role of interim president following the medical leave of leader Myint Swe. Swe, 73, has been suffering from “psychomotor retardation” and “malnutrition” since early 2023, resulting in his inability to perform normal daily activities. The junta had previously appointed Swe as acting president following the February 2021 military coup, which led to the imprisonment of civilian leaders and the installation of loyalist military in his place.
The military junta had initially pledged to hold elections within two years of taking power, a promise that has seen numerous extensions. The current state of emergency and military rule will expire this month. However, since the coup, the army has been engaged in a brutal civil war against local militias and pro-democracy groups, resulting in significant losses of territory and troops under junta control.
The situation in Myanmar has turned into a humanitarian crisis, and the junta has reportedly increased its deadly airstrikes against civilian targets. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, at least 18.6 million people in Myanmar are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. The escalation of the conflict has led to increased displacement, worsening food insecurity, serious human rights violations and deadly threats to civilians.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has warned that humanitarian efforts in the country are severely underfunded. The agency has said that without an urgent injection of funds, aid agencies will soon be forced to make difficult decisions about cuts to planned assistance, which could put the lives of millions of people in dire need at risk.
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