Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin has called for more international aid for Rakhine State in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in which he acknowledged that Myanmar's transition to democracy faced "daunting" challenges.
The government was working to resolve communal tensions in Rakhine, a UN News Centre report quoted the Foreign Minister as telling the General Assembly in his speech on September 29.
"In addressing the root cause, we are working for peace, stability, harmony and development of all people in Rakhine State," U Wunna Maung Lwin told the annual UN meeting being attended by 193 member states.
"As development is one of the main challenges in Rakhine State, I would also like to invite the international community, particularly the United Nations, to provide much-needed development assistance there," he said.
Referring to Myanmar's transition to democracy, the Foreign Minister said there was greater media freedom, negotiations were continuing between the government and armed ethnic groups on a national ceasefire and steady progress had been achieved in promoting human rights and combating human trafficking.
"Since our democracy is still in its infancy, we are facing a multitude of daunting challenges like other countries in transition," U Wunna Maung Lwin said.
"The government has a long to-do list with limited capacity," he said.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said last week that Myanmar had shown progress in socio-economic development, national reconciliation and democratisation but faced "critical hurdles" ahead of elections due to be held next year.
Referring to the peace process, Mr Ban said "open discussions on issues like power, resource sharing and a federal union based on equality, democracy and self-determination are signs of a serious commitment to a united Myanmar".
"Now is the time to move beyond narrow agendas and towards cooperation," the UN News Centre quoted Mr Ban as telling a meeting of the Partnership Group on Myanmar, held on the sidelines of the General Assembly on September 26.
Mr Ban also said he was "deeply troubled" by the situation in Rakhine and warned that the conditions of vulnerable populations, including those in camps for the internally displaced, remained "precarious and unsustainable".
