More than a third of junta chief’s new cabinet under Western sanctions

Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has formed a new administration in which more than one-third of cabinet members are under international sanctions, according to a review of official appointments and global sanctions lists, prompting renewed calls for tougher action against the military regime.

At least 15 members of the junta’s cabinet—including ministers of the Union-level and state and regional chief ministers—have been sanctioned by Western governments.

The appointments follow a ceremony on April 10 in Naypyitaw, where Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in a 2021 coup, was sworn in as president in a military-organised parliament. He appointed 30 Union ministers and 14 state and regional chief ministers, all of whom took oaths of office the same day.

Min Aung Hlaing himself remains under sanctions imposed by the European Union, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. One of his vice presidents, former army general Nyo Saw, is also sanctioned by the EU.

Among the 30 Union ministers, at least 12—including those overseeing defence, home affairs, finance, foreign investment, and health—appear on sanctions lists maintained by the US, EU, and UK.

At the state and regional level, the chief ministers of Bago Region and Kachin and Karen states are under US sanctions. Overall, roughly one-third of the junta’s governing body is subject to international punitive measures.

Political observers say the appointments reflect a deliberate strategy by Min Aung Hlaing to reward loyalists and trusted subordinates.

Key positions have been given to officials linked to brutal repression. The new defence minister, General Tun Aung, previously headed the air force and is accused of overseeing aerial bombardments that have killed civilians across Myanmar since the coup. He is sanctioned by both the EU and the United States.

Similarly, Lt-Gen Nyunt Win Swe, now home affairs minister, played a leading role in the violent crackdown on anti-coup protests in Yangon in 2021, when security forces opened fire on largely peaceful demonstrators. He has been sanctioned by the EU, Switzerland, and Canada for alleged human rights abuses.

Activists warn that the composition of the cabinet underscores the junta’s continued reliance on repression rather than political compromise.

Khin Ohmar, founder of advocacy group Progressive Voice, said the presence of sanctioned individuals at the core of the junta signals a clear direction.

“These are individuals already accused of international crimes and targeted by sanctions. Their appointment shows exactly where the regime is heading,” she said.

She urged the international community to reject any attempt to legitimise the junta’s political structures and to expand sanctions targeting military-linked businesses, financial networks, arms supplies, and aviation fuel.

“If more action is not taken, the risks will grow. This is the time to increase pressure, not reduce it,” she added.

Despite limited international recognition, the junta has received backing from a number of countries, including China, Russia, India, Thailand, and Cambodia.

A Myanmar economist who asked not to be named for security reasons said the junta is likely to intensify lobbying efforts abroad to ease sanctions, potentially hiring international firms to advocate on its behalf.

However, he noted that lifting sanctions—particularly those imposed by the United States—would be difficult without significant political change.

“Sanctions are deeply tied to political developments. Without meaningful reform, it will be very hard to remove them,” he said.

Min Aung Hlaing has previously downplayed the impact of sanctions, saying in a March 2025 forum in Naypyitaw that Myanmar could withstand external pressure and that punitive measures would not significantly affect the country’s political trajectory.

But analysts note that the current sanctions regime is broader and more complex than in previous decades, coming after years of economic liberalisation—making Myanmar more vulnerable to global financial isolation.