Could Natural Resource Revenue Sharing Help Secure Peace in Myanmar?

Aug 27, 2015 | Andrew Bauer and Maw Htun Aung
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On 8 November, Myanmar will vote for a new government. Much is at stake.

Many analysts expect Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) to win the November poll. (The NLD won 43 out of 45 seats in a 2012 by-election.) Should this happen, or should the NLD form a coalition with smaller parties, Myanmar would secure its first majority civilian government in 53 years.

Enormous challenges face whoever wins the election, from addressing severe development deficiencies—the 2014 census indicates Myanmar has one of the shortest life expectancies and lowest levels of access to clean water in Asia—to building peace with about 18 armed ethnic groups.