Justice for Myanmar has urged the UN to investigate Special Envoy Julie Bishop’s possible conflicts of interest due to her connections to Chinese state-owned entities through Energy Transition Minerals. Concerns arise about the implications of her advisory role, especially given Myanmar’s critical role in minerals supply and the funding of its military regime.
Justice for Myanmar (JFM) has urged the United Nations to investigate potential conflicts of interest concerning its Special Envoy to Myanmar, Julie Bishop. Bishop, who served as Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2018 and was appointed as the UN Special Envoy in April 2024, is reportedly linked to Chinese state-owned enterprises through her role at her consultancy, Julie Bishop and Partners.
Bishop’s affiliations with Energy Transition Minerals (ETM) came to light in The Saturday Paper, an Australian publication. ETM has ties to the partially state-owned Shenghe Resources, which controls 9 percent of the company, and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). ETM is involved in a contentious mining project for uranium and rare earths in Kvanefjeld, Greenland, which faced local backlash and was halted by a government ban in 2021. ETM’s litigation against the government is ongoing, and Bishop was engaged as a strategic advisor to assist the project’s progress.
Activist organizations, particularly JFM, express significant concern over how Bishop’s ties to ETM might compromise her duties as the UN Special Envoy. Myanmar serves as China’s largest supplier of rare minerals, with Shenghe Resources prominent in the industry. This sector largely finances the Myanmar military regime, which opposes pro-democracy initiatives. Bishop’s potential connections with such companies may undermine her obligations to achieve a resolution for the crisis in Myanmar, emphasizing the necessity for “trust and integrity” in her role.
The call for an investigation stems from substantial concerns regarding the ethical implications of Julie Bishop’s affiliations with companies that may conflict with her responsibilities as the UN Special Envoy to Myanmar. The ongoing situation in Myanmar, exacerbated by the military regime’s reliance on the minerals industry, calls for heightened scrutiny to ensure that Bishop’s actions align with her commitment to promoting peace and democracy in the region.
Original Source: www.jurist.org
