Myanmar garment manufacturers warn US tariffs imperil quake recovery

At slightest 3,600 radical were killed successful an earthquake that struck Myanmar connected March 28, with thousands much injured. Photo: Sai Aung MAIN / AFP/File
Source: AFP

Myanmar's garment manufacturers person warned US tariffs endanger to hobble the country's betterment from a devastating earthquake, arsenic the decease toll roseate to 3,600.

President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs volition spot the Southeast Asian state deed with a 44 percent taxation connected US imports arsenic it reels from past month's tremor which razed thousands of homes, schools and monasteries successful its cardinal belt.

Junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said 160 radical remained missing from the March 28 quake arsenic fatalities deed 3,600 connected Monday evening, with 5,017 radical injured.

The Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA) said the tariffs owed to instrumentality effect from Wednesday were causing "considerable concern" successful an industry employing much than 500,000 people, mostly young women.

"Amid Myanmar's existent challenging context, the caller tariffs volition summation the vulnerability of Myanmar businesses that person been struggling to enactment afloat," the radical said successful a connection connected Monday evening.

"The caller devastating earthquake... volition lone exacerbate the galore challenges confronting Myanmar businesses and communities," it added.

According to the Office of the US Trade Representative, bilateral commercialized was worthy an estimated $734 cardinal past year, with Myanmar exports worthy $656.5 cardinal -- down 23.5 percent from a twelvemonth earlier.

The earthquake has compounded the economical woes of a state gripped by a civilian warfare since the subject seized powerfulness successful a 2021 coup.

With the junta astatine the helm, Myanmar has go internationally isolated and sanctioned portion its territory has divided into areas controlled by the military, anti-coup guerillas and taste equipped factions.

Half the colonisation of 51 cardinal unrecorded successful poorness portion much than 3.5 cardinal radical are displaced.

The MGMA asked the United States to see "a much lenient complaint successful airy of the country's aggregate crises".

Myanmar has already been deed hard by Trump's overhaul of Washington's overseas policy.

In 1 of his archetypal acts backmost successful office, helium paused a exile strategy done which Myanmar citizens fleeing the war-torn state ranked among the largest fig of beneficiaries successful caller years.

Trump's determination to eviscerate Washington's humanitarian fund -- spearheaded by his apical donor and the world's richest antheral Elon Musk -- has besides battered the nation.

The World Food Programme said it was forced to slash captious assistance to 1 cardinal radical successful Myanmar starting this period aft the cuts contributed to "critical backing shortfalls".

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Source: AFP