CNI News
13 July 2025
Given the current political situation in Myanmar, military and political observers are questioning whether the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) should be revised.
The NCA was signed on October 15, 2015, during the Thein Sein government, and will be ten years old on October 15, 2025.
The NCA process has been stalled since 2020 and there will be issues to discuss regarding the reliability of the NCA in the peace process going forward, 7EAOs Alliance spokesperson Colonel Saw Kyaw Nyunt told CNI News.
“There are various speculations. The NCA agreement was drafted after negotiations between the two sides in 2013-2014. However, when it was signed in 2015, not all the organizations that negotiated did not participate. This is also reality. However, we have also carried out the implementation of the NCA agreement from 2015 to 2020. Not everything was smooth sailing. However, after 2020, all of our NCA processes have been halted to this day. So, regarding this NCA agreement, to what extent can it be referenced in the future peace process? To what extent can it be relied upon? I think there are many issues that we will continue to discuss," he said.
While the NCA was being signed
The government led by U Thein Sein offered a ceasefire on August 18, 2011, and held talks with 21 ethnic armed organizations. Then, between 2011 and 2012, state-level and union-level ceasefire agreements (Bilateral) were signed with 14 ethnic armed groups.
Negotiations for the NCA began in 2013 and a draft NCA was received in August 2015. After receiving the draft NCA, it was signed by KNU, RCSS, ALP, DKBA, KNU/KNLA-PC, PNLO, CNF, ABSDF on October 15, 2015, and by NMSP and LDU on February 13, 2018.
The NCA did not have many points to be amended, but it was necessary to review the points that are not working at this time and fix those that needed to be fixed, Tai Leng (Shanni) Nationalities Development Party (TNDP) Chairman Sai Htay Aung told CNI News.
“This NCA was started by the armed groups. We also participated in the peace process under the government by U Thein Sein. Laiza wanted to write the pledge books. When they said they wanted to do that, they started writing them in Laiza.After writing it in Laiza, it was confirmed with witnesses. After confirming it, it was handed over to U Aung Mina (former Minister of the President's Office of Myanmar, chairperson of Myanmar Peace Centre). Then the government renegotiates and talks back, which is only about 10 percent. The EAOs drafted the NCA, which is about 90 percent. The government has given in. Many of their wishes are in this. After signing the NCA, all plans have been laid out for what will be done within 90 days. Since the NCA was made by the EAO, there is not much to amend. There may be a few minor amendments. We should look at the sectors that are not working and then fix them. What I see is that we need to analyze what is not working in practice in the NCA agreement, and then fix them" he said.
While seeing leaders of armed groups
Currently, the ABSDF, CNF, and KNU announced that the NCA agreement has been void and then thery are engaged in clashes with the Myanmar Tatmadaw.
The PNLO, ALP, LDU, and NMSP have also split into two groups, one claiming to have withdrawn from the NCA and the other claiming to remain on the NCA path.
Furthermore, while there are opinions that the NCA should be amended, there are still no specific comments as to which points should be amended.
