After around two-and-a-half decades of isolation, Myanmar may soon be in a position to receive direct developmental aid funds from Australia.

Currently Australian aid to Myanmar, also known as Burma, is delivered through multilateral groups such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and non-government organisations.But AusAID director-general Peter Baxter told a recent Senate estimates hearing about new plans to work directly with the Myanmar government."We are hoping that over the coming period we will be able to have a discussion with the Burmese authorities about how we might commence working with them," he said.Along with other donors we are currently looking at how we can particularly support the reform minded elements of the Burmese government.Education is the current focus of developmental aid to the country.