FM urges global action beyond humanitarian aid
Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman has urged the international community to move beyond humanitarian assistance and play a more active and meaningful role in creating conditions conducive to the safe, dignified and voluntary repatriation of the Rohingyas.
He made the remarks on Friday while speaking as a panellist at a session titled “Global Refugee Protection System in the Face of Displacement Crisis” at the ongoing Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026 in Turkiye.
The Foreign Minister expressed deep concern over the declining international donor support for the Rohingya and called for increased funding, as well as urgent measures to ensure stability and security in Rakhine and to protect human rights.
He also noted that, since assuming office as Foreign Minister, both the Myanmar government and the Arakan Army have welcomed him.
“The Rohingya crisis is a solvable issue, but it requires coordinated global efforts and sustained international cooperation,” he said, underscoring the need for political will alongside humanitarian engagement.
The Foreign Minister’s remarks come at a time when global attention to the Rohingya crisis risks fading amid competing international crises, even as nearly one million refugees remain stranded in Cox’s Bazar camps with limited prospects of return.
His emphasis on moving “beyond humanitarian assistance” reflects a growing diplomatic push for a shift in global strategy – one that prioritises conditions inside Myanmar’s Rakhine State rather than long-term dependency on aid in host countries.
Analysts said that foreign minister’s requests have clearly mentioned that the international community must expand its engagement beyond relief operations and take a more active role in shaping political and security conditions necessary for repatriation.
Diplomatic observers say this includes sustained pressure on Myanmar to ensure citizenship rights, freedom of movement, and legal protection for the Rohingya – issues widely seen as central to any durable settlement.
International actors have so far contributed heavily to humanitarian support, including food aid, shelter, healthcare, and education programmes in Bangladesh’s refugee camps.
While these interventions have prevented a larger humanitarian collapse, they have not translated into progress on return.
The Foreign Minister’s remarks highlight the gap between emergency response and long-term resolution.
He also pointed to declining donor contributions as a growing concern, warning that reduced funding risks deepening vulnerability in the camps and weakening essential services.
On the Myanmar side, engagement with repatriation efforts has remained cautious and uneven, though some initiatives have been introduced over time.
Authorities in Naypyidaw have previously signalled willingness to implement bilateral arrangements with Bangladesh for the return of Rohingya refugees. These include the establishment of reception centres and verification mechanisms intended to process returnees.
Myanmar has also indicated readiness to conduct identity verification for Rohingya applicants, a key procedural step in repatriation frameworks agreed in principle between the two countries.
However, implementation has repeatedly stalled, largely due to trust deficits, security concerns, and the absence of guarantees on rights and safety.
There have also been discussions on issuing documentation to returning Rohingya. While presented as a step toward reintegration, such measures have raised concerns among rights groups about whether they would provide genuine citizenship or merely temporary legal status.
Security conditions in Rakhine remain another major obstacle. Ongoing tensions and armed conflict dynamics in the region continue to complicate large-scale return planning, making voluntary repatriation difficult to operationalise in practice.
Foreign Minister’s statement places renewed emphasis on the need for coordinated international diplomacy, sustained humanitarian funding, and parallel political engagement with Myanmar’s authorities.
“The crisis cannot be managed indefinitely through humanitarian assistance alone,” he noted in substance, calling for a structured transition toward conditions that enable return.
Diplomatic analysts say the message reflects a broader regional concern that without renewed global focus, the Rohingya crisis risks becoming a protracted displacement situation with diminishing prospects of resolution.
Bangladesh continues to host the largest share of Rohingya refugees and has consistently called for safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation as the only sustainable solution.
