Democratic Voice of Burma

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• BURMA BUSINESS WEEKLY
• Bitter aftertaste for sugarcane farmers in Naypyidaw
• Burma’s emerging women leaders

BURMA BUSINESS WEEKLY Posted: 31 Jan 2014 11:40 PM PST   Ups and downs This week the Burmese currency sits at 981 kyat to the US dollar (buying rate) while selling at 988. Gold is marginally up this week to 662,000 kyat per tical. Fuel remains the same: petrol 820 kyat, diesel 950 kyat, and octane 920 kyat per litre. Rice too remains constant at 1,200- 1,300 kyat per basket for high-quality Pawsanhmwe rice and 850- 900 kyat for Emata rice.   Thein Sein vows to prioritise access to water, electricity Speaking at the 2nd Myanmar Development Cooperation Forum on Monday, Burma's President Thein Sein promised to prioritise seven development programmes during the remainder of his term. Priorities over the coming 26 months, he said, are increasing access to electricity and water, agricultural growth, job creation, tourism development, financial development, and improvements to the trade and investment sectors. "In the past, we have relied only on the State budget for development of our country. Now we can also count on other sources of finance, such as foreign aid, loans, and domestic and foreign investments," said Thein Sein. Read more: http://www.dvb.no/news/thein-sein-vows-to-prioritise-access-to-water-electricity/36445   Telenor, Ooredoo finally awarded telecoms licenses Ooredoo and Telenor finally received their Burmese mobile licences on Thursday at a ceremony in Naypyidaw. The companies were originally awarded the mobile licences in June, but the issuing of licenses was delayed while the government finalised telecommunications regulations. Ooredoo Group Chairman H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani said, "We look forward to working in partnership with the government of Myanmar to develop a world class network" while Telenor said the country "represents a strong business opportunity."   Thai insurer offers life to Burma Muang Thai Life Assurance Plc has become the first Thai insurer to win a permit to set up a representative office in Burma, making it the fifth foreign insurance company in the country, Bangkok Post reported on Monday. For the first time in over 50 years, state-owned Myanma Insurance and the Insurance Business Supervisory Board have issued 12 insurers conditional approval to operate in Burma. Of the 12 approved companies, three plan to offer life insurance, which requires paid-up capital of 6 billion kyat (S$6 million). The rest planned to offer life and general insurance, which requires total capital of 46 billion kyat.   World Bank pledges $2bn development aid to Burma The World Bank has pledged $2 billion in development aid to Burma for projects such as healthcare and energy supply. Bank president Jim Yong Kim announced the package during his first visit to the country, saying the aim of the aid was to tackle poverty. “Expanding access to electricity in a country like Myanmar can help transform a society. Children will be able to study at night, shops will stay open, and health clinics will have lights and energy to power life-saving technology. Electricity helps brings an end to poverty.” Almost 70 percent of Burma's population are not connected to the national grid. Kim said that improving power supplies is key to the country’s development. Read more: https://www.dvb.no/news/world-bank-pledges-2bn-development-aid-to-burma-myanmar/36392   UNESCAP unveils IT jobs plan for Burma A new presidential initiative to create jobs for young people and investment opportunities in Burma's IT sector was announced by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) during a development forum in Naypyidaw on 28 Jan. The first phase of the Information Technology Capacity Development Programme, a collaboration between ESCAP, Infosys and the governments of India and Burma, will see 25 outstanding IT engineers and entrepreneurs from Burma undergoing 12 weeks of intensive training in India in software development.   SEZ Law should be 'driving force' for Burma's economy Following the approval of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Law by Burma's Parliament on 23 Jan, Maung Aung, advisor to the Trade Minister, said the creation of SEZs should be regarded as a "driving force" for economic development in the country. The new advantages for investors should prioritise export-focused enterprises, said economic policy expert Aung Ko Ko. According to the SEZ Law, investors in Burma's SEZs, such as Kyaukphyu, Dawei or Thilawa, will receive a bouquet of income and tax incentives as per the new law.   Japan funds half of Burma's stock exchange 'float' Rangoon's stock exchange – due to begin trading in 2015 – will have a start-up cash "float" of 32 billion kyat (US$32 million), thanks to Japan's Daiwa Securities Group and the Tokyo Stock Exchange, which will bankroll half the sum, Deputy Finance Minister Maung Maung was quoted saying last week by Eleven Media. The minister noted that firms wishing to be listed on the exchange will have to comply with minimum business standards which will be detailed in exchange rules still being drafted.   Burma aims to increase GDP to 9.1 percent Burmese President Thein Sein told a development conference in Naypyidaw last week that his government aims to increase GDP to 9.1 percent in the 2014-15 financial year, almost 2 percent higher than the 7.3 percent predicted for this current year. He said that Naypyidaw will focus on rural development using development aid, interest-free loans, foreign direct investment and technical assistance.   No plan to ban offshore fishing Acknowledging a decline of fishery resources, Deputy Livestock Breeding and Fisheries Minister Aung Myat Oo announced that offshore fishing will not be banned in the immediate future, as it would lead to a steep decline in exports and jobs, knocking some 60,000 workers off the industry's employment count. The Minister noted, however, that while it used to take only 15-20 days to fill a boat load, unregulated overfishing has stretched the time to 45-60 days to complete a load.   Japanese loan up for approval in Parliament Burma's Finance Minister Win Shein submitted a proposal to Parliament on Tuesday to approve a US$600 million package of development assistance from the Japanese government. The Minister said the loan, granted with no interest for next 10 years and 0.01 interest rate for following 30 years, will be spent on development projects including: the first phase of upgrading the Rangoon-Mandalay railway; water distribution in Rangoon; and the second phase of construction on the Thilawa Special Economic Zone project.

Bitter aftertaste for sugarcane farmers in Naypyidaw Posted: 31 Jan 2014 11:07 PM PST Sugarcane farmers in Naypyidaw's Lewe Township say they face substantial losses in a local venture with a military-owned sugar refinery that is losing business and cancelling orders with them. The farmers say that sugar refinery firm Taung Sin Aye, a subsidiary of Myanmar Economic Corporation, has been processing about 33 percent less sugarcane than usual due to outdated machinery, and has subsequently cancelled orders for sugarcane from the local farmers. "The refinery previously ordered 1,200 tons from us, but now they are cancelling orders," said a local sugarcane farmer who added that not only are sugarcane farmers affected but also truck drivers. "Now there is a long line of trucks queuing up outside the factory," the farmer said. "Meanwhile our sugarcane is drying up under the sun." A delivery truck driver told DVB that not only was he not making any money because of a lack of orders, but he still had to pay the truck rental fees and buy fuel. "I have been waiting outside the refinery since this morning," he said, "but some drivers have been queuing up all night." It cost farmers around 450,000 to 500,000 kyat (US$450- $500) to cultivate an acre of sugarcane with an approximate yield of 30 tons. In addition, farmers must pay commission to landowners. There are around 5,000 sugarcane farmers working in the venture with the Taung Sin Aye refinery in Lewe, which was not available for comment on the matter. Myanmar Economic Corporation is one of two major conglomerates and holding companies that provides the Burmese military with access to materials such as rubber and cement. Its dealings are notoriously shrouded in secrecy and the firm remains on the US blacklist of sanctioned companies. Related Stories Burma pushes finance bills in bid to get off blacklist Asia Metal rejects US accusations of N Korean arms dealing US targets Burmese firms for North Korea arms deals

Burma’s emerging women leaders Posted: 31 Jan 2014 09:08 PM PST Kay Thi Win was forced to drop out of high school when her father died in order to help support her mother and siblings. "I told my mother that I got a job in a factory on the Thai-Burmese border and I was going to work there," she said. "I ended up working as a sex worker." Today Kay Thi Win is the founder of AIDS Myanmar Association, an organisation run by sex workers which offers health education, HIV prevention and referral services, and STI counseling and treatment. She is also chairperson of the Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers. Kay Thi Win is one of seven women to be featured in a new campaign by the development foundation, We Women. Entitled the "Emerging Women of Burma", the campaign highlights work currently being undertaken by newly prominent female leaders in the country. A documentary, due to be released in March, will focus on the seven women who have overcome significant challenges in their lives to go on to pioneer work on social issues within their communities. San, project coordinator for We Women, said the campaign aimed to highlight women whose work has not been widely recognised in Burma or internationally. "In Burma, most of the publicity goes to the Nobel Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," said San, "But there are other women leaders whose work has had a hugely positive impact upon their communities." San said she hoped the campaign would inspire young girls to become successful. "The younger girls or teenage girls – they are still women – and they can make a change. And [they see] women are powerful so we want to inspire them." The women in the film come from various ethnicities and backgrounds; many have gone through unimaginable difficulties in order to provide for their families. "We want to bring those women's work to international attention as well as to people inside Burma," said San. Related Stories Women lead protest against 'discriminatory' articles in constitution Lagarde, Suu Kyi head line-up at women’s forum in Rangoon Women get behind the wheel As Burma goes through its political and economic transition there have been many voices urging women not to be left out. A Women's Forum held in Rangoon in December featured many high-profile speakers who examined economic and social issues in Burma from a woman's perspective. In January, the Burmese military appointed two female officers for the first time ever as representatives in parliament. But women continue to face barriers to employment, education and healthcare in the country. The "Emerging Women of Burma" documentary will be released on 14 March. You can get more information about of the campaign at: http://wewomenfoundation.org

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