“Out of 193 global countries, Myanmar’s e-Government index stood at 169 in 2016, and it jumped up to 157 in 2018 thanks to improvements in online services and telecommunication infrastructure. However, Myanmar’s index is still under the average rank of ASEAN member countries. It shows that we need to try more” – State Counsellor

New Yangon’s vision is to be Myanmar’s “Productive City, Livable City” with world-class infrastructure and high quality and transparent delivery and governance.

BAGO, Myanmar (Reuters) – In a field in southern Myanmar, Naing Lin Htet stands among hundreds of overripe watermelons he intended to export to neighbouring China but will instead leave to rot because of the fast-spreading coronavirus that has hammered sales.

Established in 1920, the University of Yangon has an illustrious yet tumultuous history. Once among the largest universities in Southeast Asia and recognized as a premier institution of higher learning, it has endured decades of rigid external control, isolation and lack of resources. Today the legacy of limited capacity and freedom continues to hamper the University’s ability to contribute to meeting the needs of Myanmar’s society and the on-going economic, political and social transformations in the country.

Since the onset of political change in Myanmar in 2011, the University of Yangon has been at the centre of revitalization efforts in higher education in the country. In order to shape and implement a programme of ambitious and sustainable transformation, the University initiated a process of developing a Master Plan for its Revitalization in 2017, with full support from the new democratic Government of Myanmar.

BUSAN ― The inaugural Korea-Mekong Summit took place in Busan, Wednesday, on the heels of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit, to explore ways to enhance cooperation between Korea and five countries that border the Mekong River. The Mekong-Han River Declaration was announced after the meeting between President Moon Jae-in and Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn.

(YANGON, Myanmar) — Myanmar said Wednesday its leader Aung San Suu Kyi will head the legal team contesting a genocide case filed against it in the International Court of Justice over the crackdown on Bengali (Rohingya) Muslims two years ago that set off their exodus to Bangladesh. Myanmar’s military has been accused of carrying out mass rapes, killings and arsons against Bengali (Rohingya) during a counterinsurgency campaign initiated in western Myanmar in August 2017 after rebel attacks. Myanmar’s population is overwhelmingly Buddhist, and the country has long denied citizenship and other rights to the Bengali (Rohingya).

The International Court of Justice, which has its seat in The Hague, is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v. Myanmar) Request for the indication of provisional measures The Court to hold public hearings from Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 December 2019

THE Rakhine State branch of the Department of Irrigation and Water Utilization Management (IWUMD) built the Yoetayok Dam in Ponnagyun Township in the fiscal year 2018-2019.

The dam near Yotayok village is one of the dams the department built in Rakhine State for preventing floods during the monsoons and supplying water during the summer.

“We are building dams in the state to prevent floods in the rainy season and store water for summer use. We are also building embankments and sluicegates to halt the flow of sea water into cultivation fields. Additionally, we are conducting proper maintenance of the existing facilities,” said U Kyaw Naing Oo, Director of IWUMD.

Located 1.5 miles west of Yotayok village, the Yoetayok Dam is an earth type facility. The average volume of water inflow is 116 million gallons. It has a maximum storage capacity of 69.10 million gallons of which 64.68mmillion gallons can be supplied for various purposes.

“The Yotayok Dam can supply enough drinking water for 5878 persons of 1253 households of nearby villages and for farm and draft animals and can prevent flood during the rainy season,” he added. Although Rakhine State gets about 200 inches of rain annually, the summer heat dries up many of the streams, lakes and wells, especially in the rural areas. So many places of the state face water shortage during the summer. But in the rainy season, some place face floods. So, the department is building dams to solve those problems to the most possible degree, according to the sources of IWUMD. IWUMD built 11 dams in fiscal year 2018-2019 for agricultural development, availability of irrigation water, flood prevention and water supply in summer. — Han Min

(Translated by TMT) Photo: Han Min
Source : GNLM ( Global New Light of Myanmar ) and Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine (UEHRD)

The Philippines’ oldest family-owned conglomerate is furthering its expansion in Myanmar after Ayala Corp. said it will acquire a 20% stake in Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. and its affiliate First Myanmar Investment Public Co. for $237.5 million.

Ayala, which has investments spanning banking and property to telecommunications and water, will become the second-largest shareholder in both companies after the transaction, according to an emailed statement Thursday. Yoma, which is listed in Singapore, is a property developer with projects in Myanmar and China. It also runs KFC restaurants in Myanmar, plus has a cold chain logistics business and automotive and heavy vehicles arm.

State Counsellor’s statement at Second Myanmar Investment Conference, Meiji Kinenkan Hall. Tokyo (October 22, 2019)

“We have been both aggressive and strategic in liberalizing various key economic sectors. Our insurance sector, for example, has recently been liberalized, allowing for 100 per cent foreign owned life insurance companies to operate in Myanmar. Japan’s Dai-ichi Life is one of the first of those. We have done away with unnecessary regulations, launched a new online business registration portal, formed a new investment and development finance-focused Ministry and issued a new Investment Promotion Plan.”

“In our banking sector, in addition to the 13 existing 100 per cent foreign bank branches currently operating in Myanmar, we are looking to allow more foreign banks to operate, either as branches or subsidiaries”