A Closing Window: How Aid Cuts Are Undermining Rohingya Possibilities

The Rohingya crisis has entered a critical juncture. A new interim government in Bangladesh and evolving dynamics inside Myanmar have opened a fragile but important pathway toward improved conditions for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and the potential for voluntary return. However, tentative progress is now at risk.

Nearly eight years after fleeing brutal persecution in Myanmar, the Rohingya remain wholly dependent on humanitarian assistance for their survival. Recent and drastic reductions in international aid, most notably from the United States, are having a devastating and immediate impact. These cuts are not merely impacting service delivery; they are fundamentally undermining the already precarious existence and future possibilities of a community that has endured unimaginable suffering.

On June 5, 2025, Refugees International hosted a virtual discussion with leading Rohingya activists and experts. The panel explored the consequences of U.S. aid cuts and offered recommendations to the transitional government and international organizations on how to best include Rohingya voices ahead of the high-level conference in September and to seize this critical moment and meet the needs of Rohingya refugees.

Moderator: 

Daniel P. Sullivan, Director for Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, Refugees International

Panelists: 

Lucky Karim, Refugee Fellow, Refugees International

Tun Khin, President, Burma Rohingya Organization UK (BROUK)

John Quinley, Director, Fortify Rights