Belarus President Lukashenko Make Rare visit to Myanmar Ahead of Contentious Elections :

President Alexander Lukashenko trip is widely seen as support for Myanmar’s military government, which plans to hold a national election next month. Many observers inside and outside Myanmar believe the upcoming polls will not be free or fair because of ongoing conflict and political repression. Myanmar’s state media reported on Friday that Senior General Min Aung Hlaing welcomed Lukashenko in Naypyidaw. The meeting took place at the Presidential Palace. According to the military-run newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar, this visit shows “goodwill and trust” between the two countries. It is also a significant moment because it is the first time in 26 years of diplomatic relations that a Belarusian head of state has visited Myanmar. Lukashenko landed at a military airport in Naypyidaw on Thursday night. He was received with full state honours. Myanmar’s Prime Minister Nyo Saw and several senior military leaders were present to greet him. Traditional cultural performers also took part in the ceremony. Since the military seized power on February 1, 2021, very few world leaders have visited Myanmar. Lukashenko now becomes only the second foreign leader to travel to the country after the coup. The first was former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The Myanmar military removed Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government and installed Min Aung Hlaing as the country’s de facto leader. The coup led to mass protests, which later turned into a wider civil conflict that continues today. Lukashenko’s visit comes only weeks before the junta plans to hold national elections in late December. Critics argue that the vote is only meant to give the appearance of legitimacy to a deeply unpopular military government. Despite this, Myanmar’s state media confirmed that Belarus will send an official observation team to monitor the polls. This move is viewed as a sign of Belarus’s support for the military-run election. During their meeting, Lukashenko and Min Aung Hlaing agreed to strengthen cooperation in military technology and trade. Their discussions followed the signing of the Myanmar-Belarus Development Cooperation Roadmap 2026–2028 in Yangon. The roadmap outlines plans for future collaboration between the two countries. Belarusian state media also quoted Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov. He said Myanmar has “significant potential” in different industrial fields. He added that Belarus has advanced technology and expertise, especially in mechanical engineering. Myanmar plans to expand agricultural mechanisation, and Belarus produces a wide range of machines and equipment. Ryzhenkov said that, as President Lukashenko often states, there are “no topics off limits” for cooperation. Belarus is known internationally for its authoritarian style of governance. Lukashenko has been the country’s only president since the office was created in 1994. Along with Russia and China, Belarus remains one of the few countries that still maintain close ties with Myanmar’s military authorities. Meanwhile, Myanmar faces serious internal challenges. In late 2024, military-run census teams were able to carry out population counts in only 145 of the country’s 330 townships. This suggests that the junta controls less than half of the country. Some other estimates claim that the military now controls only about 21 percent of Myanmar’s territory. Ethnic armed groups and the anti-military People’s Defence Force control nearly twice as much land. Many of these groups have announced that they will boycott or disrupt the planned elections. As part of its preparation for the polls, the military government announced a mass amnesty on Thursday. It pardoned or dropped charges against 8,665 people who had been imprisoned for opposing army rule. However, critics say the amnesty does not change the overall political situation and does little to make the upcoming election legitimate.

NEWS