US, UK Pledge $96M Amid Doubts Over Repatriation

At a U.N. high-level conference in New York, donors pledged $96 million for Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar, with the United States contributing $60 million and the United Kingdom pledging £27 million (about $36 million), to be delivered through U.N. agencies and NGOs. The U.K.'s package — part of hundreds of millions it has provided since 2017 — will fund food, shelter, clean water, healthcare, protection services and sexual and reproductive health for women and girls for over 500,000 refugees and host communities. Officials and advocates warned the humanitarian and political crisis remains critical and said safe, voluntary repatriation to Rakhine State is unlikely in the foreseeable future because of political instability and funding shortfalls. Activists called for justice and new approaches, and the U.N. special envoy said a sustainable solution depends on resolving Myanmar’s broader political and humanitarian crisis and securing full humanitarian access to Rakhine. Bangladesh leaders reiterated that repatriation and a practical roadmap for safe, dignified return and Rakhine stabilization are necessary, while donors urged sustained international coordination to address root causes and ensure unhindered humanitarian access amid continued arrivals and deteriorating conditions.