| NEWS ARCHIVES |
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| Australia is to increase humanitarian aid to Myanmar |
| 8 Feb 2010 |
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Australia is to boost humanitarian aid to Myanmar while maintaining sanctions on the military regime.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said it was important to help Myanmar prepare for a time when it would have a civilian government.
The country is expected to hold its first parliamentary election in two decades sometime this year, the first step in what the ruling generals call a "road map" to democracy to end nearly 50 years of military rule.
Mr Smith said Australia would increase its aid allocation by 40 percent to 43 million US dollaars a year, to help fight extreme poverty and improve child health and education in Myanmar.
Canberra has banned military exports to Myanmar, and imposes travel and financial transaction sanctions against its military rulers.
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