IMF gave Myanmar millions last week

WASHINGTON: Last week, the International Monetary Fund sent $US350 million in cash to the Myanmar government, part of a nostringsattached emergency aid package to help the country battle the coronavirus pandemic.

Days later, military leaders seized power and detained elected leader Aung San

Suu Kyi and other elected officials, in what the US State

Department said constituted a coup.

There appears to be little the IMF can do to claw back the funds, part of rapiddisbursing Covid19 financing programmes with almost no conditions and approved by the IMF board on January 13, sources familiar with the payments and international finance experts said. — Reuters