Myanmar: U.S. Waives Sanctions on Myanmar Timber

Aug 16, 2014 | Carey L. Biron, Inter Press Service
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WASHINGTON, Aug 14 2014 (IPS) - Civil society groups are split over a decision by the U.S. government to waive sanctions on Myanmar’s timber sector for one year.

The decision, which went into effect late last month, is being hailed by some as an opportunity for community-led and sustainability initiatives to take root in Myanmar, where lucrative forestry revenues have long been firmly controlled by the military and national elites. The European Union, too, is currently working to normalise its relations with the Myanmarese timber sector.