Australian aid to Myanmar will more than double from almost $50 million this financial year to $100 million per year by 2015.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr announced the increase in Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday after meeting with Burma's President Thein Sein as well as Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi and civil society groups.
Australia's aid program will grow by 31 per cent to $64 million in the coming year and increase to $100 million annually by 2015.
"Over the next year our aid program will help around one million children to gain better access to education by providing essential school supplies, teacher training and food aid to schools in remote areas," Senator Carr said.
Myanmar is one of the poorest countries in the world. Only half of all children in Myanmar will complete primary school. Seventy thousand children under five years of age die each year from largely preventable causes. Around 10 per cent of children under five are severely malnourished. Despite these alarming statistics, Myanmar receives only $8 per person a year in international assistance, compared with $68 for Laos, $49 for Cambodia and $39 for Vietnam.
Australia's aid is focused on reducing poverty in Myanmar by supporting education, health and livelihoods. This includes assisting vulnerable populations across Myanmar, such as those in conflict-affected communities and refugees on the borders with Thailand and Bangladesh.
"We will improve health by providing life-saving vaccines and treatment to one million men, women and children, and help increase incomes and reduce hunger for up to two million people, " said Senator Carr.
Australia will also support Myanmar's wider economic, political and social reform. Development activities in conflict-affected areas will assist the peace process and support for legal reform will include advancing and protecting the rights of children.
Following recent positive reforms, other donors are also increasing their aid to Myanmar. This presents an increased risk of creating programs that overlap or undermine existing funds. Australia is at the forefront of efforts to coordinate assistance with other donors to ensure that programs complement each other and achieve the best possible results.
As democratic reforms continue, Australia will pursue a government-to-government relationship on aid cooperation. This will enable Australia to work more closely with the Burmese Government to identify aid priorities and build its capacity to deliver essential services.
More information
Media Release: Australia to double aid to Myanmar in 2015 [external website]
Transcript: Press conference with Foreign Minister Bob Carr [external website]