Myanmar garment manufacturers warn US tariffs imperil quake recovery

Myanmar's garment manufacturers have raised alarms over new U.S. tariffs, warning they could severely hinder the country's efforts to recover from the devastating earthquake that struck in late March. As the death toll climbed to 3,600 and over 160 people remain missing, the nation faces mounting economic and humanitarian challenges.

The Trump administration's trade policy is set to impose a 44 percent tariff on imports from Myanmar beginning Wednesday, delivering a blow to the country's struggling economy. The Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA) expressed deep concern, saying the tariffs would place immense pressure on an industry that employs over 500,000 workers, many of them young women.

In a statement, MGMA stressed that the earthquake had only intensified the hardships facing businesses and communities across Myanmar. They urged the United States to consider a more lenient tariff rate given the country’s ongoing crises.

According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, bilateral trade between the two nations totaled around $734 million last year, with Myanmar’s exports falling by over 23 percent compared to the previous year.

Myanmar, already embroiled in a civil war since the 2021 military coup, has been further isolated by a string of U.S. foreign policy changes under President Donald Trump. His administration halted a refugee resettlement program that previously benefited many fleeing Myanmar’s conflict, and major cuts to U.S. humanitarian aid — championed by top donor and billionaire Elon Musk — have left crucial relief programs struggling.

As a result, the World Food Programme announced it would be scaling back support to one million people in Myanmar this month, citing severe funding shortages worsened by the U.S. aid cuts.