SCEF Signals Rare Openness to Negotiations With the Junta

The Steering Council for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union (SCEF) — comprising the NUG, KIO, KNU, CNF, and KNPP — said on August 5, 2026, following a meeting with Thai and Philippine foreign ministers, that it is committed to pursuing negotiations with the junta. The shift, driven partly by junta battlefield gains in Rakhine and Magway and regional diplomatic pressure, marks the first credible sign since the 2021 coup of a possible move from pure military confrontation toward political negotiation. Days later, NUG/PDF regional commanders met to plan a parallel shift toward a 'Strategic Offensive' military phase, suggesting the resistance is pursuing both tracks simultaneously.