The long-awaited UN High-Level Conference on the Situation of the Rohingya and Other Minorities in Myanmar, held on 30 September alongside the UN General Assembly, aimed to refocus international attention on the crisis and outline practical steps toward justice, protection and lasting solutions.
The meeting reaffirmed the international community’s concern, though tangible progress remained limited. As was highlighted by several speakers, the mechanisms for action exist but stronger political commitment is still needed.
Rohingya representatives called for greater protection from ongoing violence, accountability for past and present crimes and meaningful inclusion of Rohingya voices – particularly those of women and youth- in decision-making. They highlighted the need for humanitarian access, justice through international mechanisms and improved opportunities for refugees, including education and livelihoods.
Notable Interventions:
- Courtenay Rattray, Chef de Cabinet to the UN Secretary-General, speaking on behalf of António Guterres, opened the session by underscoring that “it is not enough to take stock of the status quo.” He urged the international community to move beyond expressions of concern to concrete action, stressing that “we must foster solidarity and forge solutions.”
- Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor to the interim government of Bangladesh, called for urgent global solidarity, warning that further delay will only deepen Rohingya suffering.
- Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, described life in Myanmar as “another grim chapter” in the Rohingya’s history, warning that the planned military-run elections cannot be free or fair while millions remain disenfranchised. He reiterated that justice and accountability are essential to any durable solution and urged the UN Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
- Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, outlined the devastating scale of displacement- over 5.1 million people uprooted, including 1.6 million abroad- and called the humanitarian response “chronically underfunded.”
- The United States and the United Kingdom announced a combined US$96 million in humanitarian aid to support Rohingya refugees and affected communities in Bangladesh and the wider region- the only concrete pledges of new funding during the conference. Both governments also reaffirmed their commitment to accountability and humanitarian protection for Rohingya and other minorities.
- The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) renewed its solidarity with the Rohingya people and urged implementation of the ICJ’s binding measures, alongside stronger diplomatic pressure and sanctions against the military.
- ASEAN representatives, including the organisation’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, acknowledged the worsening crisis in Rakhine State and emphasised the need for inclusive dialogue and an immediate end to violence. Several speakers raised alarm over escalating attacks by both the Burmese military and the Arakan Army (AA), warning that Rohingya civilians are being directly targeted by both sides and face grave risks of displacement, starvation, and renewed atrocities.
- Canada reiterated its support for accountability and for the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), while also drawing attention to the suffering of other ethnic and religious groups in Myanmar who were largely absent from the conference’s focus.
- The Gambia reaffirmed its leadership of the genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), pledging to pursue justice on behalf of the Rohingya.
- Several states, including members of the European Union and others, echoed calls for the Security Council to act, pressed for restrictions on aviation-fuel supplies to the junta, and demanded that the military face international accountability.
Outcomes and Gaps:
While the conference brought renewed attention to the crisis, it fell short of the decisive commitments needed. The Joint Response Plan (JRP) for Rohingya refugees remains severely underfunded, leaving critical gaps in food, health, water, education, and shelter. Aside from the welcome funding announced by the United States and United Kingdom, most donor governments failed to make additional financial commitments, leaving the majority of the plan unmet.
References to accountability- including the ICJ case, ICC warrants, and support for the IIMM- were welcome but did not translate into coordinated mechanisms to advance justice. Calls for a Security Council referral to the ICC and for aviation-fuel sanctions were left without follow-up.
Many speakers expressed deep concern about the Arakan Army’s expanding control in Rakhine State, warning that renewed fighting between the AA and Myanmar’s military is worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis. For Rohingya civilians caught in the middle, protection remains almost non-existent, with reports of forced displacement, restrictions on movement and targeted attacks.
The upcoming military-organised elections were widely dismissed as illegitimate and potentially destabilising. Speakers warned that proceeding under current conditions could inflame violence and further marginalise Rohingya and other minorities stripped of citizenship and rights.
While the presence of Rohingya representatives marked progress, survivors’ voices still remain on the margins of decision-making.
BROUK’s Position:
BROUK welcomes the renewed focus on the crisis but urges the international community to turn words into action.
To achieve justice and lasting peace, the international community must:
- Increase international pressure on the military, including through the UN Security Council, with concrete steps to restrict aviation-fuel supplies that enable attacks on civilians.
- Advance accountability by sustaining support for The Gambia’s ICJ case, cooperating with the ICC, and fully resourcing the IIMM so that evidence leads to prosecutions.
- Fully fund the Joint Response Plan, closing critical humanitarian gaps in Bangladesh and within Myanmar.
- Support greater rights for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, including access to education and employment, so families can live with dignity while in exile.
- Ensure meaningful inclusion of Rohingya voices, particularly youth and women, in all international decision-making on their future.
- Recognise the suffering of all minorities in Burma, including Kachin, Karen, and Chin communities, and pursue justice for every victim of military violence.
- Address the worsening conflict in Rakhine State, ensuring that all armed actors, including the Arakan Army, are held to international humanitarian standards, and that Rohingya civilians are protected from violence and displacement by any side.