Campaign to remain for UN Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun ahead of credentials committee review

Myanmar pro-democracy activists in the United States are calling on the Trump administration in Washington to honor a bipartisan congressional letter supporting Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun to remain as Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations ahead of the U.N. Credentials Committee review in September.

Diplomatic advocacy and bipartisan congressional support

• Bipartisan Action: Signed on March 26 by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, the congressional letter urges Washington to reject any formal recognition of Myanmar’s military regime, which ousted the democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government in February 2021.
• Legitimate Representation: Originally appointed by Aung San Suu Kyi’s administration in October 2020, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun has retained Myanmar’s U.N. seat through annual deferrals by the Credentials Committee, defeating repeated efforts by Naypyidaw to replace him.
• Civil Society Push: Organizations such as Myanmar Democracy Allies and the NLD Central Information Committee emphasize that keeping Kyaw Moe Tun in his post prevents the military regime from misusing the UN platform to claim global legitimacy.

Planned global rallies and UNGA timeline

Pro-democracy networks are organizing a series of public demonstrations across the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Canada throughout September to coincide with the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly:

Appeals for sanctions and resistance recognition

The rally campaign follows recent diplomatic initiatives by Kyaw Moe Tun, who formally wrote to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres urging global sanctions on aviation fuel and arms transfers to the military regime.

“If a representative of the regime is allowed to take Myanmar’s seat at the U.N., it would create a dangerous situation for both the international community and the people of Myanmar,” Khin Thiri Nandar Soe, spokesperson for Myanmar Democracy Allies, told DVB.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun has also repeatedly called on the U.N. to extend official recognition to the Steering Council for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union (SCEF) as the representative body leading Myanmar’s democratic transition.