ISP-Myanmar publishes this Insight Email as a special edition. We would like to share the favorites of our audiences among our 2024 published research and findings.

“The Political Economy of Myanmar’s Conflict: Analyzing the Pros and Cons of De-escalation Through Economic Incentives,” was also one of the most read pieces.

Since the 2021 coup, a proliferation of armed resistance groups has reshaped Myanmar’s conflict landscape. ISP-Myanmar’s research identifies over 500 such groups. Meanwhile, SAC’s military failures are mounting.

During the critical 10 months from the launch of Operation 1027 in October 2023 to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Naypyitaw in August 2024, the regime faced an unprecedented shock.

The AA is the only Ethnic Armed Organization (EAO) capable of launching offensives from Rakhine to Ayeyarwady, Magway, and Bago regions.

While Thailand appears to be gravitating toward China’s approach to the Myanmar crisis, at least five key contextual differences separate the two countries.

As Myanmar’s junta-led elections approach in December, the junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, is consolidating his power and strategically managing the military elites to preserve his control.

Within one year, the SAC had lost control of 24 towns across 17 townships in northern Shan State. However, SAC regained control of Lashio town in April 2025, and of Nawnghkio in July.

China has a growing ability to dictate outcomes on the ground in Myanmar. For resistance forces, the implications are profound.

Four new cases with the new Omicron strain of COVID-19 have been found in Myanmar among recent international arrivals. The military council announced on December 28 that the infected individuals have been allowed to return home after the required quarantine period due to good health.

What Matters. 74 (This article is a translation of the original Burmese language version that ISP-Myanmar posted on its Facebook page on December 29, 2021.)  More than 20 world-famous clothing companies, including multinational corporations such as H&M from Sweden, Inditex from Spain, and Primark from Britain, recently decided to suspend their operations in the garment […]

What Matters No. 73 (This article is a translation of the original Burmese language version that ISP-Myanmar posted on its Facebook page on December 28, 2021.) Investment from China in Myanmar declined significantly after the military coup by US$33 million – the lowest amount of investment by China since 2015. Compared to the same period […]

The SAC has been conducting airstrikes not only in conflict zones, such as in Kachin, Karen, Shan, Rakhine, Sagaing, and Magway, but also in areas with no active conflict.

Since the coup, the State Administration Council (SAC) has issued 17 amnesties, releasing 106,662 detainees. Of these, 9,140 were political prisoners—just 8.6 percent of the total.

Since the 2021 coup, rare earth exports from Myanmar to China have surged fivefold to USD 3.6 billion, making Myanmar the largest supplier, accounting for over half of China’s imports.