US endorses Myanmar and UN MoU on Rohingya return

The United States yesterday welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the UN and Myanmar government for the safe and voluntary return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

"This is a positive step," said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, according to Voice of America.

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"We see this MOU as a confidence-building measure that, if effectively implemented, could allow much-needed humanitarian assistance to reach all affected communities and assist Burma in creating the necessary conditions for voluntary return and to support recovery and resilience-based development for the benefit of all communities living in Rakhine State."

Since last August, over 700,000 Rohingya people have fled violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State and crossed the border into Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, a district that already was hosting more than 200,000 Rohingya refugees.

The United States has contributed nearly $204 million to the Rakhine crisis response since the outbreak of violence in August 2017, reports the Voice of America.  

The total US humanitarian assistance for displaced people in and from Myanmar comes to more than $299 million since the beginning of fiscal year 2017.

The United States encourages the Burmese government to fulfill its commitment to work with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN Development Program, and implement the recommendations of the Kofi Annan-led Advisory Commission on Rakhine State.