event

U.S.-Myanmar Relations: The Significance of Obama’s Visit

Tue. November 18th, 2014
Washington, DC

In light of President Obama's travel to Myanmar for the East Asia Summit and U.S.-ASEAN Summit on November 12, pressure on the Myanmar government is mounting to revise its pro-military constitution and enact real reform. Obama’s trip came at a delicate time in U.S.-Myanmar relations and in advance of the country’s 2015 presidential elections. Myanmar-watchers were keenly observing to see how Obama would address these key issues. 

During a recent visit to Myanmar under the auspices of the New America Foundation, Suzanne DiMaggio and Priscilla Clapp met with a wide array of senior ministers, politicians, ethnic minority and civil society leaders, and members of the private sector. They discussed their findings, their conclusions about Obama’s visit, and their predictions for the future of U.S.-Myanmar relations.

This event was cosponsored by the New America Foundation. 

Suzanne DiMaggio

Suzanne DiMaggio is a senior fellow and director at the New America Foundation. She has a special interest in the role of unofficial policy dialogue with countries with limited official U.S. relations, especially Iran, North Korea, and Myanmar.

Priscilla Clapp

Priscilla Clapp is a retired Foreign Service officer, who served as U.S. chargé d’affaires in Yangon from 1999 to 2002. A recognized expert on Myanmar, she is currently a senior adviser to the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Asia Society, as well as a number of other non-governmental organizations. 

Vikram Nehru

Vikram Nehru is a senior associate in Carnegie’s Asia Program where he focuses on the economic, political, and strategic issues confronting Asia, particularly Southeast Asia.

Political ReformDemocracyEconomySecurityForeign PolicyNorth AmericaUnited StatesSoutheast AsiaMyanmar
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
event speakers

Suzanne DiMaggio

Senior Fellow, American Statecraft Program

Suzanne DiMaggio is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she focuses on U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East and Asia.

Priscilla Clapp

Priscilla Clapp is a retired Foreign Service officer, who served as U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Rangoon from 1999 to mid-2002. A recognized expert on Myanmar, she is currently a senior advisor to the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Asia Society, as well as a number of other non-governmental organizations.

Vikram Nehru

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Asia Program

Nehru was a nonresident senior fellow in the Carnegie Asia Program. An expert on development economics, growth, poverty reduction, debt sustainability, governance, and the performance and prospects of East Asia, his research focuses on the economic, political, and strategic issues confronting Asia, particularly Southeast Asia.