Who is he?

Kyaw Myo Htut served as ambassador of Myanmar to the United Kingdom  from 2011 to 2013. Kyaw Myo Htut previously served as the deputy permanent representative of Myanmar to the United Nations in Geneva. Prior to entering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2008, Kyaw Myo Htut was a Colonel in the Myanmar military. He graduated from the elite Defense Services Academy in central Myanmar, with a master’s degree in defense studies in 2006.

Why is he in the news?

President Thein Sein on September 12 appointed Kyaw Myo Htut as the new Myanmar ambassador to the United States, according to the government-owned newspaper New Light of Myanmar.

His predecessor, Than Swe, played a critical role in the normalization of relations between the United States and Myanmar.

What can we expect from him?

As Myanmar’s top representative to the United Kingdom, Kyaw Myo Htut had a pivotal role in the lifting of the European Union’s sanctions on Myanmar. The EU in April decided to lift all of its sanctions against Myanmar, except for the arms embargo, in response to significant political reforms in the country.

Kyaw Myo Htut is no stranger to the United States. He spent several childhood years in Washington, DC, when his father served as military attaché in the Myanmar embassy. In addition to his diplomatic experience in western countries, Kyaw Myo Htut is a strong advocate of Myanmar’s economic opening and potential. He will likely tap into the current momentum in U.S.-Myanmar relations to take bilateral ties to the next level, including calling for more U.S. investment in Myanmar.