Cooperation

The Mechanism is not a court, a prosecutor or a police force. It therefore relies on the voluntary cooperation of various actors to carry out its mandate, including UN Member States, civil society organisations, private companies and UN entities.

UN Member States

The Mechanism requires the agreement and cooperation of relevant UN Member States to interview witnesses and conduct other investigative activities on their territory, and also to request information and evidence necessary to conduct investigations.

The Mechanism therefore engages with governments to understand any concerns or sensitivities, and ensure that they understand the Mechanism’s mandate, the nature of its activities on their territories, and the importance of their cooperation to enable the Mechanism’s work.

Governments may enact laws or enter into agreements with the Mechanism to facilitate their cooperation. In 2022, Austria and Belgium amended their laws to allow cooperation with the Mechanism. In 2026, a Convention on international judicial cooperation between France and the Mechanism entered into force, allowing the Mechanism to request access to witnesses and information located in France, and France to request information from the Mechanism for judicial processes in France. The Mechanism has legal cooperation frameworks with additional governments, which are confidential.

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)

CSOs working in Myanmar are often first to arrive at crime scenes and frequently provide support to those most affected. They are crucial sources of information and evidence and also play a vital role in connecting the Mechanism to witnesses. 

The Mechanism engages regularly with CSOs in and outside of Myanmar and holds in-person Civil Society Dialogues which bring CSO representatives and Mechanism personnel together to discuss key issues, build mutual trust and understanding, and deepen cooperation. 

Courts and Tribunals

As the Mechanism cannot prosecute or hold trials, it works with relevant investigative, prosecutorial and judicial bodies to pursue justice for victims and hold perpetrators accountable for serious international crimes. The Mechanism’s role is to share evidence and analysis with national, regional or international tribunals or courts that have jurisdiction over these crimes and meet international law standards.  

With the consent of those who provided information, the Mechanism is currently sharing evidence and analysis in relation to serious international crimes against the Rohingya with the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court; the parties to The Gambia v. Myanmar case at the International Court of Justice; and prosecutors investigating the universal jurisdiction case in Argentina. 

UN Entities

The Mechanism has regular contact with UN entities working on Myanmar, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, and others. Although the Mechanism is part of the UN, information that is shared with one UN entity is not automatically shared with the Mechanism.

In April 2023 (resolution 52/31), the Human Rights Council urged all United Nations' bodies to cooperate with the Mechanism and, where possible, to share evidence with the Mechanism to support future prosecutions.