Background History of the Ministry

      Since Myanmar regained her independence, there emerged  armed  groups due to misunderstanding among the national races and difference in ideology. For this reason, the successive governments could not implement border areas development measures. Border areas development measures together with peace and stability measures could be implemented with added momentum by laying down systematic plans when some national armed groups came into the legal fold in 1989. Border areas development measures were able to be carried out with might and main in 1989 in accordance with the guidance of the Heads of the State fostering our three main national causes which are non-disintegration of the Union, non-disintegration of the national solidarity and perpetuation of the sovereignty of the State and focusing on peace and tranquility, national solidarity and regional development.

     To take responsibility and carry out the office works of the Work Committee for the Implementation of the Development of the Border Areas and National Races while implementing development measures for the border areas and national races, the office of the Work Committee for the Implementation of the Development of the Border Areas and National Races was established as a separate office in accordance with the State Law and Order Restoration Council's Order No. (17/92) issued by the Office of the State Law and Order Restoration Council on 8^th April, 1992 with 207 total staffs comprising 49 officers and 158 staffs. 

      In line with the various functions of the Office of the Work Committee for the Implementation of the development of the Border Areas and National Races, the border areas development measures need to be undertaken in a wider scale and to continuously supervise, monitor and co-ordinate these measures, therefore, Ministry for the Development of Border Areas and National Races was established with Notification No. (54/92) dated 14^th September 1992. Then, the Ministry was reestablished at Ministry of Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs with Notification No. (15/94) dated 30^th January 1994.

     At present, Ministry of Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs was abolished by Notification No. (4/2011) issued by the President Office of the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on 30^th March 2011 and Ministry of Border Affairs has been established.