US, UK, and Canada Impose Sanctions on Myanmar's State-Owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise and Military Officials

Sanctions imposed by the US, UK, and Canada aim to cut off the military regime's main source of foreign revenue by December 15, targeting Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise, a joint partner in all offshore gas projects in Myanmar, and key military officials.

The US, UK, and Canada impose sanctions on Myanmar's state-owned entity, Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), as well as high-ranking officials. The sanctions aim to restrict financial resources to the military-installed regime, which is connected to rising violence and human rights abuses in Myanmar.
MOGE, a joint venture partner in all offshore gas projects in Myanmar, is considered a significant source of financial support for the military government. The sanctions will prohibit US citizens from providing financial services to or for the benefit of MOGE starting December 15.
Five Myanmar officials, including the ministers of industry and investment and foreign economic relations, the director generals of the prosecution and prisons departments, and the chief of general staff for the combined military forces, are also on the sanctions list. Three organizations have been designated for sanctions as well.
Prominent supporters of the sanctions and opponents of the military regime include Tom Andrews, a special rapporteur working with the UN human rights office, and underground group Justice for Myanmar. The group has argued for continuous sanctions on MOGE, which is said to be the junta's largest source of revenue.
The new sanctions complement the existing ones that Western governments have imposed on Myanmar's military regime. The military regime had usurped power from the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021, triggering widespread protests and armed resistance.
About 50% of Myanmar's foreign income derives from natural gas revenues. Several offshore gas fields operating in Myanmar's maritime territory are run by companies from Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, India, and South Korea in partnership with MOGE. China is an investor in the pipeline delivering the gas to the country.

South China Morning Post

Reuters

United States Department of State