Introduction
The already dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar has dramatically worsened since the military takeover in 2021. The coup d’état against the democratically elected government plunged the country into political, social, and economic turmoil.
Fighting between opposition forces and the military has reached unprecedented levels across the country.
Amidst aerial attacks, ground attacks, and widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, the civilian population of Myanmar lives in fear for their lives and their coping capacities are stretched to the limit.
Mass displacement continues at an alarming rate, with some 3.6 million people displaced as of December 2025, about 90% of whom have been displaced since February 2021.
Recurrent natural hazards, often large-scale, also increase the vulnerability of people living in disaster-prone areas. The 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28 March 2025 caused massive destruction, leaving about 9,000 people killed or injured. The country is also heavily exposed to floods and cyclones, with cyclone Mocha (2023) and typhoon Yagi (2024) causing large-scale damage and loss of life.
3.6 million people are internally displacedover 750,000 people fled across the border into neighbouring Bangladesh
(UNHCR)
What are the needs?
According to the United Nations, 16.2 million people, over a third of the population, need humanitarian assistance in Myanmar. This is up from just 1 million people before the military takeover in 2021.
This includes over 6 million children who have limited or no access to healthcare and education, suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition, and face protection risks including forced recruitment, landmines, and mental distress.
Severe disruptions cripple basic social services, and the country suffers from shortages of medical supplies and equipment, with the healthcare system having collapsed. Almost a third of the population faces hunger.
Displaced people
In 2017, Myanmar security forces launched armed attacks and targeted violence on a massive scale against the Rohingya population of Rakhine State, forcing over 750,000 people to flee across the border into neighbouring Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, some 600,000 Rohingya remain in Rakhine, 144,000 of them confined to camps since 2012. They are deprived of basic rights, including citizenship, freedom of movement and access to essential services.
The 28 March earthquake took place in densely populated areas, impacting major cities and areas already hit by the conflict. The earthquake struck just before the start of the monsoon season, making people who have been left homeless even more vulnerable.
How are we helping?
The EU has been providing humanitarian aid in Myanmar since 1994, with total funding reaching €468 million.
In 2025, the EU has allocated €58 million in humanitarian aid funding to address the immediate needs of the most vulnerable people in Myanmar, as well as 4.5 million for refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries (other than Bangladesh). This includes people who have been affected by conflict, as well as those who have been impacted by natural hazards.
The funding helps to provide food, nutrition, clean water and sanitation, shelter, healthcare, education in emergencies, and protection services, including mine risk education and victim assistance. Funding also goes towards disaster preparedness, so the population can better protect themselves for future shocks.
Access constraints
Humanitarian organisations in Myanmar continue to face major access constraints, bureaucratic impediments, and a repressive environment for aid workers, which hampers the delivery of humanitarian aid to people in need.
The EU does not channel any humanitarian funding via the military authorities. EU humanitarian aid is provided directly through thoroughly vetted humanitarian organisations across the country, wherever needs are greatest, in line with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. In Myanmar, EU partners work with hundreds of local organisations to ensure aid is delivered even in hard-to-reach areas.
Support for earthquake
After the deadly 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and neighbouring countries on 28 March 2025, the EU immediately released €2.5 million in initial emergency assistance, while also providing €500,000 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) emergency appeal. The EU also activated its Copernicus satellite service to assess the extent of the damage and generate publicly available maps to help the response.
On 7 April 2025, the European Commission allocated an additional €10 million in humanitarian aid to provide emergency shelter, medical care, clean water, and sanitation to people affected by the earthquake. This funding also supports urgent protection assistance, including family tracing and reunification.
To facilitate the delivery of vital aid, the EU transported over 1,000 metric tonness of relief items to 12 different partners through 17 Humanitarian Air Bridge flights. The support delivered included health assistance, shelter items, and sanitation supplies. The last flight landed in Yangon on 26 June.
Following the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism by the UN, a team was deployed to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, including 12 European experts from Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Luxembourg and Norway and 2 Liaison Officers from the EU’s department for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid. Furthermore, 7 EU Member States offered a total of 129 MT of in-kind assistance, of which over 122 MT been delivered to the International Organization for Migration and the World Health Organization Myanmar, as of 20 July 2025. The offered assistance primarily consisted of shelter, water, sanitation, and health items, and medical equipment.
The EU also provided assistance to the population of Myanmar in response to cyclone Mocha in 2023, and typhoon Yagi in 2024.
Last updated: 15/12/2025