DFID's work on Bangladesh, Burma and the Rohingya crisis

Scope of the inquiry

The International Development Committee invites written submissions into all aspects of DFID's programmes in either or both of these countries and/or the Rohingya crisis. The Committee is particularly interested in the following areas:

Rohingya crisis:

• What are the origins of the plight of the Rohingya people and their status in Burma; and what was the catalyst for the recent resurgence of their migration from Burma to Bangladesh?
• What is the likely scale of the current crisis; what are the prospects for a political solution within Burma resolving the migration of the Rohingya people and mitigating the humanitarian situation?
• Has DFID's response to the crisis been appropriate? Does the UK have an effective long term strategy?
• What are the most pressing needs to be met; what estimates are there of the scale of each such need?
• How effective has the co-ordination been between the multilateral agencies, donor countries and NGOs on the ground?
• What cooperation has the humanitarian effort received from (a) the government (b) civil society in (i) Burma and (ii) Bangladesh?
• To what extent is the UK government working coherently across (a) departments (b) other donor countries (c) other countries in the region, in response to the crisis?
• What has been achieved in terms of providing education services to Rohingya children and young people displaced to Bangladesh?
• What impact has the crisis had on DFID's country programmes in (a) Burma, and (b) Bangladesh country programmes? How should DFID change its programmes in response?
• Is there any innovation in DFID's new humanitarian reform policy of particular relevance to efforts to tackle the Rohingya crisis?

DFID's country programmes in Burma and Bangladesh:

• How well do DFID country offices and multilaterals work together across the two countries?
• What co-ordination and cooperation is there between the two countries' programmes?
• To what extent do DFID's country programmes for Burma and Bangladesh complement each other?
• What, if anything, could DFID programmes in Bangladesh and Burma learn from each other?
• Is DFID focusing on the right areas of work in (a) Burma and (b) Bangladesh? How well do DFID's priorities correspond to those of (i) the national government, (ii) civil society groups, in each country?
• How effectively is DFID working with the national governments, and other donors, on progress towards meeting the SDGs in Burma and in Bangladesh?
• What impact does the political situation have in each country on the effectiveness and efficiency of DFID's programmes?
• The Committee would also be particularly interested in evidence on DFID's work around the following development strands:
  o governance and democratic institutions
  o human rights and the rule of law
  o women and girls
  o climate change
  o economic development
  o employment rights

Written submissions

• Send a submission via the DFID's work in Bangladesh, Burma and the Rohingya crisis inquiry page

The Committee values diversity and seeks to ensure this where possible. We encourage members of underrepresented groups to submit written evidence. Written evidence to the inquiry can be submitted in two tranches:

• written evidence specifically on the Rohingya crisis would be most helpful if submitted by 12 noon Monday 6 November.
• written evidence on DFID's work in Burma and/or Bangladesh should be submitted by Wednesday 20 December.

Such evidence may also form part of submissions in the second tranche of evidence gathering, but may not then inform the oral evidence session(s) being planned on this strand.

Background

Speaking in Tuesday's Commons debate on “The persecution of the Rohingya by the Myanmar Government”, the Chair of the International Development Committee announced an inquiry into DFID's work in Bangladesh and Burma that would start by looking at the UK's response to the Rohingya crisis.

Bangladesh and Burma as neighbouring countries face many similar development challenges. DFID has large aid programmes in both countries. The recent Rohingya crisis has brought the world's attention to their mutual border. DFID's 2017/18 Bangladesh bilateral country programme budget is £159 million. In Burma, DFID's budget is £94 million for 2017/18.

Further information

• Guidance: Written submissions
• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

Image: Tommy Trenchard Caritas CAFOD September 2017 Rohingya crisis