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PwC Myanmar Weekly Business IntelligenceIssue No. 208
12 April 2020
12 April 2020
PwC
Disclaimer
2PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
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Upcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC
Highlights
• “Myanmar has granted operating licences to seven Asian banks, bringing to 20 the number of
foreign banks allowed to do business in the previously isolated market.”
• “Delays to emergency power projects are not expected to cause major power shortages this hot
season, a Yangon Electricity Supply Corporation official says, because COVID-19 has forced many
businesses – particularly factories – to temporarily close or scale back operations.“
• “More than US$25 million is being provided by the Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT),
European Union, United States and Australia to support Myanmar’s response to the COVID-19
pandemic, including cash grants totalling millions of dollars to affected or vulnerable groups.”
PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
3
Infrastructure
Energy
• Power cuts unlikely despite power project delays, says YESC
• Households exempted from first 150 units of electricity in April
• Myanmar Citizens Give Up Power Subsidy to Aid COVID-19 Fight
Real Estate
• Japan’s top retailer Aeon to open mall in Myanmar by 2023
• Development of Dawei SEZ expected to be delayed again
Waste and Water
• World-class water treatment plant project to come into sight in Yangon
• IDP camps face food, water shortages amid COVID-19 fears
Other Infra
• China cautioned against forcing Myanmar to accept BRI, investments
• Pandemic delays construction of Tarmwe market
• MIC to accelerate approvals for labour-intensive, healthcare investments
Infrastructure
• Myanmar opens up to seven more Asian banks
• European companies in Myanmar feel the heat from COVID-19
• Loans approved from COVID-19 fund for 400 small firms
• Myanmar Govt to Provide Free Basic Food for Poor During COVID-19 Shutdown
• MIC halves application fees for investors as coronavirus bites
Financial and Business
• Govt calls off investment forums, approves US$550 million in FDI in March
• Reform Activities of the Central Bank of Myanmar
• Yangon COVID-19 prevention frustrated by administrative discord
• Myanmar President Orders Officials to Preserve Evidence of Rakhine Atrocities
• Workers, mothers and elderly to benefit from $25m in COVID-19 foreign aid
Policy and Regulation
InfrastructurePolicy and
Regulation
Tender
Opportunities
MIC
Permitted
Projects
Upcoming
Events
Financial and
BusinessIssue - 208, 12 Apr 2020
12 April 2020
Financial and Business
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12 April 2020
PwC 5PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Financial and Business
Myanmar opens up to seven more Asian banks
Myanmar has granted operating licences to
seven Asian banks, bringing to 20 the number of
foreign banks allowed to do business in the
previously isolated market.
Bank of China (Hong Kong), Taiwan’s Cathay
United Bank and Mega International Commercial
Bank, Industrial Bank of Korea, Seoul-based KB
Koomin Bank, Korea Development Bank and
Siam Commercial Bank of Thailand were granted
preliminary licences, the central bank’s licensing
committee said in a statement on Friday (April 9).
The approval gives the lenders nine months to
demonstrate they can fulfill business plans laid
out in their application to the authorities before
they will be given proper licences, the statement
said.
This licensing round was opened last November
with hopes of drawing foreign investments at a
time the government was under pressure to
speed up economic reforms before the
parliamentary elections expected later this year.
A branch licence allows a range of wholesale
banking activities, while a subsidiary licence
allows both wholesale and, from January 2021,
onshore retail banking services. A branch licence
and subsidiary licence require a minimum paid-in
capital of US$75 million and $100 million
respectively.
The Myanmar Times understands that more than
10 foreign banks, including Taiwan’s First
Commercial Bank and China Trust Banking
Corp, Korea’s KEB Hana, Kasikorn Bank and
Krungthai Bank of Thailand, and Commercial
Bank of Ceylon, had been considering applying
for preliminary licences. The central bank did not
say how many had submitted applications.
The seven licences were the first granted since
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for
Democracy party formed a government in 2016.
There were two licensing rounds under U Thein
Sein’s government. The first in 2014 saw nine
banks awarded, and the 2016 round granted
licences to four Asian banks.
In total, there are 13 non-Myanmar lenders
currently allowed to operate in a limited capacity.
Another 51 banks and finance companies have
representative offices, while there are 27 local
banks. Banking services are still severely limited
in the country and are dominated by financial
institutions with ties to the former military regime.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-
opens-seven-more-asian-banks.html
09 Apr 2020
Myanmar aviation sector expected to become profitable, but more pain ahead first
Myanmar’s aviation industry is betting on a more
profitable future with the number of airlines now
reduced to half compared to 2017 and demand
for domestic air travel expected to catch up with
supply. However, they will have to swallow more
losses in the short term before things get better.
There are currently five airlines in Myanmar,
down from ten three years ago. But even though
there are fewer players now in the market, the
volume of passengers flying domestic remains
below three million, according to government
data.
At those levels, demand is not sufficient to cover
the industry’s losses, U Kyaw Nyein, CEO of
Golden Myanmar Airlines (GMA), told The
Myanmar Times in a recent interview.
But profitability is possible in the years ahead,
making it a good time for the remaining airlines to
accelerate their plans for expansion to capitalise
on future demand, according to a 2019 report by
the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.
Last year, GMA took delivery of a new aircraft,
taking its current fleet of ATR-72s to three. “With
the additional seats, we can now fly daily
compared to alternate days before. We will also
extend our destinations to include more flights to
Dawei and Kaw Thaung, which could be potential
tourist attractions in the future,” U Kyaw Nyein.
Air KBZ has also been expanding. Last year, it
upgraded its fleet of planes and announced new
destinations to Dawei , Kaw Thaung , Myeik,
Sittwe, Kyaingtong, Hkamti and Loikaw. its sister
airline, Myanmar Airways International, added a
new Airbus A319 to its fleet, expanding its
capacity by 144 passengers.
Tanes Kumar, commercial director for Air KBZ,
said even though the new routes are not yet
profitable, the main aim of adding new
destinations is to expand the airline’s network
and connectivity. “This gives passengers more
options and allows employees to learn new skills
for more expansion in the future,” he said.
Source: Myanmar Timeshttps://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-more-pain-ahead-first.html
27 Jan 2020
Upcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 6PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Financial and Business
Loans approved from COVID-19 fund for 400 small firms
The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC)
says it will be issuing emergency loans to around
400 small businesses that have suffered financial
losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping
the world.
“Over 400 businesses submitted their loan
application forms on April 4, and the applicants
have been determined to be genuine companies
that have actually suffered losses. Most of the
applicants small and medium enterprises,
including hotels and travel agencies. We’re
planning to issue the first batch of funds on April
9, and other batches after the Thingyan
holidays,” said MIC Permanent Secretary U Aung
Naing Oo.
The loan scheme was announced on March 29,
and the Union of Myanmar Federation of
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI)
and its state and regional offices began
accepting the loan applications from March 30.
The deadline for applications is April 9.
In order to avoid crowding, an application was
made available starting April 2 for online
submission of the locan applications via
https://umfccicovid19loan.mitcloud.com.
“Over 200 businesses submitted their forms
online so far. We’ll look at the financial status of
the businesses in different sectors. They may or
may not get the amount they applied for, but
there’s no limit as to how much we’ll lend to a
particular company. The amount depends on the
needs of the business. We check the applicants
at two levels. The first is to see if they comply
with the specified sectors and requirements. If
these requirements are met, the Myanmar
Institute of Certified Public Accountants will
inspect the accounts and recommend the loan
amount that should be extended to each
business. Finally, a working committee will make
their decision on the application,” said U Aung
Naing Oo.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/loans-approved-
covid-19-fund-400-small-firms.html
06 Apr 2020
European companies in Myanmar feel the heat from COVID-19
A majority of European companies in Myanmar
say they are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
with some expecting a loss of revenue of more
than 50 percent, according to the latest corporate
survey conducted by the European Chamber of
Commerce in Myanmar.
Yangon-based EuroCham Myanmar last month
conducted a survey to map out the expected
economic impact with European businesses
operating in the country. It seeks to address
investor concerns to the Myanmar government
and to seek ways in which the authority may
provide support.
It surveyed 33 representatives of European
businesses.
According to the respondents, more than 60pc
claim they are already either significantly or
moderately affected, with a forecasted loss of
revenue averaging from 30pc to above 50pc.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
would be the most affected while automotive,
fast-moving consumer goods, retail and
manufacturing are sectors feeling the damage.
Key manufacturing, agriculture and tourism
industries in Myanmar have been severely hit by
the pandemic. Factories have been forced to halt
operations while farmers and fruit producers
relying on the China market have suffered huge
losses.
Two-thirds of the European companies said that
the preventive measures taken by the Myanmar
government have had little impact yet on their
business operations and almost the same
proportion forecast they would still be able to
cope if those measures would double down.
Thirty-four percent of the respondents reported
that the recovery from the economic shock would
depend on how the supply chain across all
industries would react post-pandemic, while 51pc
expect a recovery within six months.
Beyond the immediate economic disruption, the
pandemic has derailed efforts by the government
to boost investments and growth ahead of
parliamentary elections in November.
For now, foreign and domestic businesses want
more government support and stimulus to
mitigate the short-term disruptions.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/european-
companies-myanmar-feel-heat-covid-19.html
08 Apr 2020
Upcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 7PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Financial and Business
Myanmar Govt to Provide Free Basic Food for Poor During COVID-19 Shutdown
YANGON — Myanmar State Counselor Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi-led national level COVID-19
response team announced on Monday afternoon
that the government will provide basic food for
those struggling across the country during the
10-day New Year holiday from this week amid
heavier restrictions on movement to curb the
coronavirus spread.
So far Myanmar has reported 22 positive cases
with one fatality.
The announcement came after the State
Counselor’s request for citizens to stay at home
during the Thingyan Water Festival, the largest
event in Myanmar’s calendar, to prevent the
spread of the disease.
The April 10 to 19 holiday follows further
restrictions on residents’ movements, including
orders for people to stay at home, shutting down
public transport and banning gatherings.
Thingyan normally allows many families to earn
money by selling food and beverages to revelers.
In the announcement on Monday, the COVID-19
Prevent, Control, Treatment Committee said from
Friday the government would distribute rice,
cooking oil, salt, beans and onions to those who
lack a regular income during the holiday.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi previously posted on
Facebook that she was aware of people’s
concerns during the holiday and said the
government was planning a solution.
Apart from food distribution, the government has
promised to provide 150 free electricity units for
domestic use until the end of April to encourage
people to stay at home.
Source: The Irrawaddy
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanma
r-govt-provide-free-basic-food-poor-covid-19-
shutdown.html
06 Apr 2020
MIC halves application fees for investors as coronavirus bites
Investors who wish to apply for permission to
invest in the country will enjoy a 50 percent
discount on application fees, the Myanmar
Investment Commission (MIC) announced on
April 9.
This includes both Myanmar and foreign
investors, the MIC said.
The new fee structure will take effect from April
20 onwards and remain effective until the
authorities review and revise the fees.
“The main objective is to encourage investments
and help businesses save costs in this difficult
time,” said MIC director U Myo Min.
The move comes after the Ministry of Investment
and Foreign Economic Relations last week called
off four regional forums in Yangon, Bago,
Monywa of Sagaing and Mandalay due to the
COVID-19 outbreak.
The investment forums serve as a platform for
investors to explore opportunities to work with
local businesses As a result of the cancellations,
investments could decline by as much as 40 pc,
said U Aung Naing Oo, permanent secretary of
the ministry.
MIC approved more than US$500 million worth
of foreign direct investments from 11 businesses
and K50 billion in local investments on April 3, a
day after the total number of COVID-19 positive
cases in the country climbed to 20.
This includes investments into sectors such as
industry, construction and services, in addition to
the expansion of 13 existing businesses.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/mic-halves-
application-fees-investors-coronavirus-bites.html
09 Apr 2020
Upcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
Infrastructure
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12 April 2020
PwC 9PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Power cuts unlikely despite power project delays, says YESC
Lower than expected power demand due to
cooler weather and the impact of COVID-19
means lengthy power cuts are unlikely this hot
season despite delays to three emergency power
projects.
YANGON – Delays to emergency power projects
are not expected to cause major power
shortages this hot season, a Yangon Electricity
Supply Corporation official says, because
COVID-19 has forced many businesses –
particularly factories – to temporarily close or
scale back operations.
The government announced an emergency
power tender last year following severe power
shortages in May and June, saying it was
necessary to avert more cuts this hot season.
The season typically starts in March and ends in
late May with the arrival of the first monsoon
rains.
Of the five emergency projects tendered last
year, the three largest – a 400-megawatt plant at
Thaketa, 350MW plant at Thanlyin and 150MW
plant at Kyaukphyu – were due to begin
producing power on April 3, but are still not
operational and appear months away from
completion. All three projects will be fuelled by
imported liquefied natural gas.
However, U Kyaw Thu, the general manager for
electricity distribution at Yangon Electricity
Supply Corporation, told Frontier that he was
“confident” there would not be widespread power
outages this hot season.
He said this was because power consumption
had been similar to last year – well down on
projections for a 10 to 15 percent increase in
demand, following the pattern of previous years –
and other planned power projects should come
online in the next month.
“Power consumption has not increased much
because of the [cooler] weather and the closure
of some factories and businesses due to the
coronavirus,” he said.
Ministry of Electricity and Energy data shows
daily peak production was around 3,700MW in
March, but fell to 3,500MW on April 6, suggesting
a decline in demand. This time last year peak
production was about 3,500MW to 3,600MW
each weekday. The ministry has previously said
it expects peak demand to hit 4,531MW in 2020-
21.
Source: Frontier Myanmar
https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/power-cuts-
unlikely-despite-power-project-delays-says-yesc
07 Apr 2020
Grab says it pumped $100M into Myanmar in four years
Ride-sharing company Grab has invested over
US$100 million (K143.5 billion) in Myanmar in
the past four years to strengthen its position on
the local taxi market, a senior company official
said Tuesday.
Cindy Toh, country manager for Grab, said the
company will continue investing to further
improve the quality of its service in Myanmar.
“Grab will emphasise service quality and safety,
not only technology,” she told a briefing. “We will
continue investing in expansion and partnerships
to better the platform and expand the
ecosystem.”
Grab launched its service in Myanmar in July
2017, and has since introduced Grab Taxi Call
service, Premium Rentals (Beat), and Grab
Food.
The company’s taxi service is popular and
experiencing an increase of 10 percent in daily
rides in 2019 from the previous year, and adding
more than 196,000 more precise location points
in the Grab application.
The number of businesses using Grab for
Business doubled in 2019, and the most popular
destinations for rides were Myanmar Plaza,
Junction City, and Yangon Airport.
Grab will expand its services to other key cities
across the country this year, Toh said. GrabFood
will be launched for local restaurants and
transportation partners in Mandalay this year.
“Although food delivery is increasing locally, it
still lags behind other countries. We have many
opportunities,” said U Myat Kaung Min, head of
GrabFood Myanmar.
Grab For Good will be launched in Myanmar
soon.
In 2018, Grab launched its Grab Thone Bane
(three-wheeler) service in Bagan and Mandalay
city, and Grab TaxiPlus service.
More than 166 million people in 339 cities in
Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand,
Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
have downloaded the Grab app on their mobile
phones. – Translated
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-
aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-
more-pain-ahead-first.html
12 Feb 2020
Infrastructure EnergyUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 10PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Households exempted from first 150 units of electricity in April
Myanmar households will not need to pay for the
first 150 units of electricity this month, U Soe
Myint, deputy permanent secretary from the
Ministry of Electricity and Energy told The
Myanmar Times.
The National-Level Central Committee on
Prevention, Control and Treatment of
Coronavirus Disease 2019 announced on April 6
that the government will exempt the first 150
units until the end of this month. The exemption
excludes embassies, United Nations agencies
and international organisations.
The government had raised electricity tariffs for
the first time in five years in June 2019, after
years of subsidies at heavy losses.
Under the new rates, consumers who used to
pay K3500 for 100 units now pay K6050,
representing an increase of more than 70
percent for electricity each month.
The government had been supplying electricity to
the public at a loss of K507 billion in the 2017-18
fiscal year and losses rose to K630 billion in
2018-19, according to data from the Ministry of
Planning and Finance. The losses are expected
to narrow under the new tariffs.
As of April 6, peak power generation in the
country is 3506 megawatts and total generation
per day is 67007 megawatts per hour. Yangon
consumes the most energy, representing more
than 40pc of total power generation. followed by
Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, according to the
Ministry of Electricity and Energy.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/households-
exempted-first-150-units-electricity-april.html
07 Apr 2020
Infrastructure Energy
Myanmar Citizens Give Up Power Subsidy to Aid COVID-19 Fight
YANGON—A government initiative to encourage
people to stay at home amid the COVID-19
outbreak by helping them pay their power bills
has prompted a heartening response from the
Myanmar public. To show their appreciation,
many people are choosing to donate the amount
they would have saved on electricity to the
government to help fund its fight against the
virus.
As of Wednesday, Myanmar had 22 confirmed
COVID-19 cases with three deaths.
On Monday, the government of the ruling
National League for Democracy, led by State
Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, announced it
would provide every household in the country
with 150 units of free electricity for domestic use
until the end of April. The move is designed to
encourage people to stay at home.
In other words, you can expect a reduction of
11,500 kyats (about US$8) in your electricity bill
this month.
Less than 24 hours after the announcement, the
bank accounts of the COVID-19 National Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention were
bombarded with transactions as Myanmar people
individually transferred that amount into the four
accounts set up to accept donations for the fight
against the disease.
Many posted screenshots of their money
transfers on Facebook, while challenging their
friends to follow suit.
While it’s impossible to trace the exact number of
people who made the contribution, the responses
to one Irrawaddy reporter’s Facebook page alone
showed that nearly 200 people had joined the
activity in the past 24 hours.
Source: The Irrawaddy
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/myanmar-
citizens-give-power-subsidy-aid-covid-19-
fight.html
08 Apr 2020
Upcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 11PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Japan’s top retailer Aeon to open mall in Myanmar by 2023
TOKYO/YANGON — Japan’s Aeon plans to
open a shopping center in Myanmar as early as
2023, tapping into a middle class whose
spending power is expected to rise in the coming
years, Nikkei has learned.
Japan’s largest retailer will set up a joint venture
this spring with Myanmar conglomerate Shwe
Taung Group to begin work on an Aeon Mall in
Yangon. Partnering with Shwe Taung, parent of
Myanmar’s top mall operator, will help Aeon
attract the popular, big-name tenants needed to
help its shopping center business grow.
Myanmar’s growth prospects and population of
53 million make it an attractive investment target
as the coronavirus pandemic short-circuits
economic activity around the world. Its annual
growth has largely hovered in the 6% to 7%
range. Per capita gross domestic product came
to $1,244 last year, according to the International
Monetary Fund.
Aeon expanded into Myanmar soon after the
country’s 2011 shift to a civilian-led government,
launching a financial services business there in
2013. The company was the first foreign retailer
to set up shop in Myanmar post-transition, with
the 2016 opening of a supermarket in Yangon,
and now has more than 10 stores there.
Aeon’s microfinancing business is widely used in
Myanmar, and the company looks to leverage
data on consumers’ shopping habits in its mall
business as well.
While European supermarkets, such as France’s
Carrefour, beat a retreat from Southeast Asia,
Aeon has remained determined to make inroads
into the region.
“We will continue our targeted investment in
Asia,” President Akio Yoshida told Nikkei in
January, before assuming the post in March.
“The representative [of the region] is Vietnam,
where the average age is about 30 years old,
and the population is inching toward 100 million,”
Yoshida said. “I think the country will trace the
same trajectory Japan once traveled toward a
‘100 million middle class.'”
Aeon opened nine malls in Southeast Asia — in
Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia — amid a
strategic pivot toward the region.
Source: Consult Myanmar
https://consult-myanmar.com/2020/04/07/japans-
top-retailer-aeon-to-open-mall-in-myanmar-by-
2023/
07 Apr 2020
Grab says it pumped $100M into Myanmar in four years
Ride-sharing company Grab has invested over
US$100 million (K143.5 billion) in Myanmar in
the past four years to strengthen its position on
the local taxi market, a senior company official
said Tuesday.
Cindy Toh, country manager for Grab, said the
company will continue investing to further
improve the quality of its service in Myanmar.
“Grab will emphasise service quality and safety,
not only technology,” she told a briefing. “We will
continue investing in expansion and partnerships
to better the platform and expand the
ecosystem.”
Grab launched its service in Myanmar in July
2017, and has since introduced Grab Taxi Call
service, Premium Rentals (Beat), and Grab
Food.
The company’s taxi service is popular and
experiencing an increase of 10 percent in daily
rides in 2019 from the previous year, and adding
more than 196,000 more precise location points
in the Grab application.
The number of businesses using Grab for
Business doubled in 2019, and the most popular
destinations for rides were Myanmar Plaza,
Junction City, and Yangon Airport.
Grab will expand its services to other key cities
across the country this year, Toh said. GrabFood
will be launched for local restaurants and
transportation partners in Mandalay this year.
“Although food delivery is increasing locally, it
still lags behind other countries. We have many
opportunities,” said U Myat Kaung Min, head of
GrabFood Myanmar.
Grab For Good will be launched in Myanmar
soon.
In 2018, Grab launched its Grab Thone Bane
(three-wheeler) service in Bagan and Mandalay
city, and Grab TaxiPlus service.
More than 166 million people in 339 cities in
Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand,
Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
have downloaded the Grab app on their mobile
phones. – Translated
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-
aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-
more-pain-ahead-first.html
12 Feb 2020
Infrastructure Real EstateUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 12PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
03 Mar 2020
Development of Dawei SEZ expected to be delayed again
Officials are expecting the outbreak of COVID-19
to slow the development of Dawei Special
Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tanintharyi Region.
“The virus is affecting the development process,
including road construction,” said U Tin Htoo
Naing, secretary of Dawei SEZ.
Things are being delayed just as foreign
investors were showing interest in the project.
International investors were invited to invest in
Dawei SEZ in October 2019, and many countries
such as Singapore, India, Malaysia, Thailand,
China, South Korea, Vietnam, Australia as well
as several companies from Myanmar showed
interest in investing in the SEZ.
In February, U Myint San, vice chair of Dawei
SEZ Management Committee, told The Myanmar
Times that a state-owned Chinese firm had
expressed interest to invest in Dawei SEZ and
that talks with the Italian-Thai Development
Company Ltd (ITD) as well as the Japan and
Thai governments to kick start development are
at advanced stages.
ITD had been given until March 27 to reply to a
final draft Land Lease Agreement prepared by
the government after which a Notice to Proceed
will be issued to the company once a reply has
been received. It is unclear if this process has
been completed.
Mooted in 2018, the Dawei SEZ is expected to
be the largest SEZ in South East Asia - about
eight times larger than Thilawa SEZ - and over
ten times larger than Kyauk Phyu SEZ when
complete. It has an area of about 50,000 acres
and about 200 sq km.
However, development of the basic infrastructure
in the areas has yet commence due to repeated
delays.
Now, it appears it will take even longer for the
SEZ to get on its feet.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/development-
dawei-sez-expected-be-delayed-again.html
08 Apr 2020
Infrastructure Real EstateUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 13PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
World-class water treatment plant project to come into sight in Yangon
At a time when every effort is being made to
ensure equitable urban development in Yangon,
a host of various projects are being implemented
not only in the downtown but also in the outskirts.
The implementation of establishing a world-class
water treatment plant project has already begun
in Twantay, Yangon Region.
The site of the world-class water treatment plant
project is beside 5.5 nautical miles of Twantay
canal near Phayagyisu village, Pateswe village
tract, Twantay Township. Once the project is
completed, purified drinking water will be
distributed to local people from Twantay and
Dala.
Officials met in discussions
In regard to the world-class water treatment plant
project, officials met locals and discussed with
them at the prayer hall of U Pyue Pagoda in
Phayagyisu village at 9 am on 3 March in 2020.
During the meeting, departmental officials from
Dala and Twantay Townships briefed locals
about the water treatment plant project.
“With the assistance provided by Japanese
government, Yangon City Development
Committee (YCDC) is taking charge of the
project in an effort to supply drinking water to
local people in Twantay, Dala and Kawhmu
townships located in the south district of Yangon”
said Daw Thin Thin Soe, in-charge and assistant
head of water availability and water supply under
the YCDC.
The water treatment plant project will be
implemented at a cost of 4.176billion Yen. The
government bought a land plot having 18.778
acres of farmland in Phayagyisu village in
Twantay where the project will be established. As
regards, the public meeting was held on 3 March
and discussions with local people centered on
matters relating to the project.
Distribution of 3.3million gallons of water
The world-class water treatment plant will treat
sewage from Twantay canal in the multiple
processes and then supply 3.3million gallons of
drinking water to local people in Dala and
Twantay townships daily through the township
water supply pipeline network.
The drinking water will be distributed to the local
people from Kawhmu and Kungyangon
townships by car.
Source: Mizzima News
https://www.globalnewlightofmyanmar.com/world
-class-water-treatment-plant-project-to-come-
into-sight-in-yangon/
29 Mar 2020
Grab says it pumped $100M into Myanmar in four years
Ride-sharing company Grab has invested over
US$100 million (K143.5 billion) in Myanmar in
the past four years to strengthen its position on
the local taxi market, a senior company official
said Tuesday.
Cindy Toh, country manager for Grab, said the
company will continue investing to further
improve the quality of its service in Myanmar.
“Grab will emphasise service quality and safety,
not only technology,” she told a briefing. “We will
continue investing in expansion and partnerships
to better the platform and expand the
ecosystem.”
Grab launched its service in Myanmar in July
2017, and has since introduced Grab Taxi Call
service, Premium Rentals (Beat), and Grab
Food.
The company’s taxi service is popular and
experiencing an increase of 10 percent in daily
rides in 2019 from the previous year, and adding
more than 196,000 more precise location points
in the Grab application.
The number of businesses using Grab for
Business doubled in 2019, and the most popular
destinations for rides were Myanmar Plaza,
Junction City, and Yangon Airport.
Grab will expand its services to other key cities
across the country this year, Toh said. GrabFood
will be launched for local restaurants and
transportation partners in Mandalay this year.
“Although food delivery is increasing locally, it
still lags behind other countries. We have many
opportunities,” said U Myat Kaung Min, head of
GrabFood Myanmar.
Grab For Good will be launched in Myanmar
soon.
In 2018, Grab launched its Grab Thone Bane
(three-wheeler) service in Bagan and Mandalay
city, and Grab TaxiPlus service.
More than 166 million people in 339 cities in
Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand,
Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
have downloaded the Grab app on their mobile
phones. – Translated
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-
aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-
more-pain-ahead-first.html
12 Feb 2020
Infrastructure Waste and WaterUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 14PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
IDP camps face food, water shortages amid COVID-19 fears
Camps for the internally displaced persons
(IDPs) face food and water shortages as people
are afraid to leave the compound for fear of
getting the COVID-19 virus, camp officials said.
Dd Htang Nan of the Kachin Baptist Convention
(KBC) camp in Kutkai township, Shan State, said
people living in the camp are in dire need of rice,
oil, salt and other basics because no one can go
outside the camp.
“We cannot work outside as all the businesses
are closed,” she said. “We don’t have enough
food for the 300 people in the camp, so this is a
big concern for us.”
There is also the threat of a water shortage as
the hot season begins, and the wells and ponds
that supply the camps with water start to dry up.
About 9000 ethnic Shan and 97,800 ethnic
Kachin were living in 171 camps in northern
Shan and Kachin states in 2019, according to the
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs.
Ko Zaw Zaw Tun, secretary of the Rakhine
Ethnics Congress, said that half of the camps in
Buthitaung township in Rakhine State face water
shortages.
“We have received no help from the government
to prevent a water shortage,” he said. “Aid
organisations are trying to reach out to the
camps to help, but some of them are in conflict
zones,” he said.
Dozens of local and foreign aid organisations
have urged ethnic armed groups in Myanmar to
stop fighting so the country can focus on
stopping the spread of COVID-19, but fighting
continues between the Tatmadaw (military) and
Arakan Army in Rakhine.
About 140,000 people have been forced to flee
the fighting between the Tatmadaw and AA, and
are living in more than 100 camps in Rakhine,
the congress said.
The Tatmadaw recently rejected a ceasefire,
calling the idea impractical because the ethnic
armed groups would violate the truce.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/idp-camps-face-
food-water-shortages-amid-covid-19-fears.html
07 Apr 2020
Infrastructure Waste and WaterUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 15PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
China cautioned against forcing Myanmar to accept BRI, investments
China’s economy and military may be infinitely
superior compared to Myanmar’s, but resorting to
strong-arm tactics will not help advance its Belt
and Road Initiative and other investment projects
in its distrustful Southeast Asian neighbour, a
global security organisation said.
The International Crisis Group (ICG) warned that
if China used coercion to achieve its objectives in
Myanmar, it will face resistance and “stoke public
anger”.
“Given the country’s deep reservoir of anti-
Chinese sentiment, it is critical that Beijing and
Nay Pyi Taw design and carry out commercial
projects in a transparent and mutually beneficial
way, in close consultation with the locals most
affected,” it said in the report Commerce and
Conflict: Navigating Myanmar’s China
Relationship, released on March 30.
The Brussels-based non-profit organisation that
conducts research, and analyses on global
crises, noted China’s big plans for Myanmar in its
Belt and Road Initiative, a global project that
aims to connect Asia with Africa and Europe
through land and maritime networks.
While the raging COVID-19 pandemic can
temporarily distract China from its ambitious
initiative, the deadly pneumonia-like disease is
not likely to diminish the Asian giant’s resolve to
make BRI a reality.
Among China’s plans for Myanmar under the BRI
is a multi-billion-dollar China-Myanmar Economic
Corridor connecting land-locked Yunnan
province with the Indian Ocean seaboard in
Rakhine State via Mandalay.
Aside from the BRI big-ticket projects, there is
also a large amount of private Chinese capital
flowing into Myanmar, for everything from
plantation agriculture to commercial property
development.
The ICG observed that many Myanmar people
still do not see how they would benefit from some
of these projects.
“Locals do not welcome all this investment, in
which they sometimes see little benefit for their
communities,” it said.
It also remains unclear whether these projects
will finally resolve the decades-long conflicts
between ethnic armed groups and the Myanmar
government, especially in Shan and Rakhine
states.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/china-
cautioned-against-forcing-myanmar-accept-bri-
investments.html
08 Apr 2020
Grab says it pumped $100M into Myanmar in four years
Ride-sharing company Grab has invested over
US$100 million (K143.5 billion) in Myanmar in
the past four years to strengthen its position on
the local taxi market, a senior company official
said Tuesday.
Cindy Toh, country manager for Grab, said the
company will continue investing to further
improve the quality of its service in Myanmar.
“Grab will emphasise service quality and safety,
not only technology,” she told a briefing. “We will
continue investing in expansion and partnerships
to better the platform and expand the
ecosystem.”
Grab launched its service in Myanmar in July
2017, and has since introduced Grab Taxi Call
service, Premium Rentals (Beat), and Grab
Food.
The company’s taxi service is popular and
experiencing an increase of 10 percent in daily
rides in 2019 from the previous year, and adding
more than 196,000 more precise location points
in the Grab application.
The number of businesses using Grab for
Business doubled in 2019, and the most popular
destinations for rides were Myanmar Plaza,
Junction City, and Yangon Airport.
Grab will expand its services to other key cities
across the country this year, Toh said. GrabFood
will be launched for local restaurants and
transportation partners in Mandalay this year.
“Although food delivery is increasing locally, it
still lags behind other countries. We have many
opportunities,” said U Myat Kaung Min, head of
GrabFood Myanmar.
Grab For Good will be launched in Myanmar
soon.
In 2018, Grab launched its Grab Thone Bane
(three-wheeler) service in Bagan and Mandalay
city, and Grab TaxiPlus service.
More than 166 million people in 339 cities in
Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand,
Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
have downloaded the Grab app on their mobile
phones. – Translated
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-
aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-
more-pain-ahead-first.html
12 Feb 2020
Infrastructure Other InfraUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 16PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Pandemic delays construction of Tarmwe market
The construction of the Tarmwe township market
in Yangon will be further delayed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, an official said.
The planning is almost done for the construction
of temporary stalls for shop owners, said U Hla
Thein, a regional MP for Tarmwe.
He said that even if the 600 temporary stalls are
completed, the construction of the market could
not start immediately as everybody in the country
is focused on preventing the spread of COVID-
19.
“The construction of the market has been slowed
by COVID-19, but it will start before the rainy
season,” he said.
The market, which has been planned since 2012,
has been delayed by disputes over the building
plan and objections by shop owners, U Hla Thein
said.
U Win Zaw, who operates a shop in the market,
said that only half of the concerns they raised
have been addressed. “We will bring up the
remaining concerns at a future meeting,” he said.
The new market will have six storeys for a
market, library, communications centre, movie
theatres and car park, according to the Yangon
City Development Committee.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/pandemic-
delays-construction-tarmwe-market.html
08 Apr 2020
Infrastructure Other Infra
MIC to accelerate approvals for labour-intensive, healthcare investments
The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) will
accelerate approvals for investments in labour-
intensive and infrastructure projects, MIC
secretary U Thant Sin Lwin said last week.
This is to ensure as many workers find jobs as
possible to offset the impact of lay-offs in other
sectors such as manufacturing and tourism.
The MIC will also accelerate approvals for
healthcare and medical equipment businesses,
including those involved in manufacturing
supplies such as face masks. It will also prioritise
pharmaceutical enterprises, healthcare service
providers, U Thant Sin Lwin said.
“We are continually watching the possible impact
of COVID-19 on Foreign Direct Investments
(FDI) and will prioritise investors who are able to
provide more jobs and contribute to preventing
and fighting COVID-19,” he said.
The MIC received US$3.2 billion worth of FDI
from 154 permitted business as well as capital
raising from existing projects in the current fiscal
year from October 1, 2019 until April 7, 2020,
according to MIC data.
While, business operations are slowing as a
result of COVID-19 in Myanmar, U Thant Sin
Lwin said there is so far no decline in investment
proposals or withdrawals and cancellations in
permit applications and approved projects.
“Currently, we are still receiving investment
proposals and permit applications from the
garment manufacturing sector even though many
factories have stopped operations as a result of
COVID-19,” he said.
The MIC on April 3 approved US$555 million and
K15 billion for 11 new projects in the
manufacturing, construction and services
sectors. Meanwhile, more capital was injected
into 13 existing projects. The projects are
expected to create 3,234 job opportunities for
Myanmar citizens.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/mic-accelerate-
approvals-labour-intensive-healthcare-
investments.html
11 Apr 2020
Upcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
Policy and Regulation
17
12 April 2020
PwC 18PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Govt calls off investment forums, approves US$550 million in FDI in Marche
Four state and regional investment forums have
been cancelled due to COVID-19.
“We postponed the investment forums to be held
in Yangon, Bago, Monywa of Sagaing and
Mandalay,” said U Aung Naing Oo, permanent
secretary of the Ministry of Investment and
Foreign Economic Relations.
The investment forums serve as a platform for
investors to explore opportunities to work with
local businesses, beyond Yangon. As a result of
the cancellations, investments could decline by
as much as 40 percent, U Aung Naing Oo said.
The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) on
April 3 approved more than US$550 million in
foreign direct investment for 11 projects and
another K50 billion in local investments on April
3, even as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to
develop in the country.
The approved amount of US$555.23 million and
K51.04 billion is being directed to sectors
including manufacturing, construction and
services, in addition to the expansion of 13
existing businesses.
After the projects the investments intended for
are operational, a projected total of 3234 jobs will
be created the MIC said in its statement.
As of the end of March, Singapore, China and
Thailand topped the list of foreign investors in
Myanmar.
According to the MIC’s data, a total of 51
countries have invested in 12 economic sectors
in Myanmar, with oil and gas drawing the most
investment at 26.9pc, followed by power
generation and manufacturing.
Source: Myanmar Times
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/govt-calls-
investment-forums-approves-us550-million-fdi-
march.html
07 Apr 2020
Myanmar aviation sector expected to become profitable, but more pain ahead first
Myanmar’s aviation industry is betting on a more
profitable future with the number of airlines now
reduced to half compared to 2017 and demand
for domestic air travel expected to catch up with
supply. However, they will have to swallow more
losses in the short term before things get better.
There are currently five airlines in Myanmar,
down from ten three years ago. But even though
there are fewer players now in the market, the
volume of passengers flying domestic remains
below three million, according to government
data.
At those levels, demand is not sufficient to cover
the industry’s losses, U Kyaw Nyein, CEO of
Golden Myanmar Airlines (GMA), told The
Myanmar Times in a recent interview.
But profitability is possible in the years ahead,
making it a good time for the remaining airlines to
accelerate their plans for expansion to capitalise
on future demand, according to a 2019 report by
the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.
Last year, GMA took delivery of a new aircraft,
taking its current fleet of ATR-72s to three. “With
the additional seats, we can now fly daily
compared to alternate days before. We will also
extend our destinations to include more flights to
Dawei and Kaw Thaung, which could be potential
tourist attractions in the future,” U Kyaw Nyein.
Air KBZ has also been expanding. Last year, it
upgraded its fleet of planes and announced new
destinations to Dawei , Kaw Thaung , Myeik,
Sittwe, Kyaingtong, Hkamti and Loikaw. its sister
airline, Myanmar Airways International, added a
new Airbus A319 to its fleet, expanding its
capacity by 144 passengers.
Tanes Kumar, commercial director for Air KBZ,
said even though the new routes are not yet
profitable, the main aim of adding new
destinations is to expand the airline’s network
and connectivity. “This gives passengers more
options and allows employees to learn new skills
for more expansion in the future,” he said.
Source: Myanmar Timeshttps://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-more-pain-ahead-first.html
27 Jan 2020
Policy and RegulationUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 19PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Reform Activities of the Central Bank of Myanmar
During the 4th year period, the Central Bank of
Myanmar has carried out reform activities, and
that an interview was conducted on Governor U
Kyaw Kyaw Maung for the esteemed readers.
Question: Kindly explain us over the reduced
bank interest rate by the Central Bank of
Myanmar.
Answer: We made the announcement after the
World Health Organization defined the COVID-19
outbreak as a pandemic on 12 March 2020 to
counter the negative impact and ease the state
economy with the intent to help assist the
economy. According to our directive, beginning
12 March 2020 the interest rate of Central Bank
has been changed from (10) per cent to (9 point
5 per cent) by reducing down (0 point 5) per cent.
The minimum bank deposit rate will be lowered
to (7.5) percent from (8) per cent while the
maximum lending rate will be lowered to (12
point 5) per cent for collateralized loans. It is to
fix (15 point 5) per cent for non-collateralized
loans. These changes are to take effect on 16
March 2020. For immediate support to stimulate
the state economy, Myanmar Central Bank
interest rate has been pulled down from (9 point
5) per cent to (8 point 5) per cent additional cut of
(1) per cent.
With the interest rate reduced, the minimum bank
deposit rate and the maximum lending rate would
be reduced to (1) percent compared to earlier
bank rate. In other words, the minimum bank
deposit rate would be (6 point 5), and that the
maximum lending rate would be (11 point 5) per
cent.
The maximum lending rate would not be more
than (14 point 5) per cent either collateralized or
non-collateralized. The changes take effect on 1
April 2020. The reduced bank interest rate is
tantamount to easing “borrowing cost” and
elevates the investment by pumping goods and
services in the market, resulting with strong
“economic activities.
Q: Kindly tell us about new bill of 1000-kyat note
with Bogyoke Aung San portrait.
A: We have planned to print new bill with
Bogyoke Aung San portrait since a long time.
The Central Bank of Myanmar introduced a
1,000-kyat note on 4 January 2020, the
independence day of Myanmar, honoring
Bogyoke Aung San.
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar
https://www.globalnewlightofmyanmar.com/refor
m-activities-of-the-central-bank-of-myanmar/
09 Apr 2020
Yangon COVID-19 prevention frustrated by administrative discord
A lack of cooperation among key township
officials is hampering the effort to combat
COVID-19 and raises questions about how a
city-wide lockdown will be enforced during
Thingyan.
ON MARCH 28, I went to the ward administration
office in my township, North Okkalapa, to offer
my services as a volunteer in the fight to prevent
COVID-19.
I suggested to the ward administrator that a
community-based volunteer group, with
members from every street, be established to
monitor all movement. He seemed to like the
idea, but said he had received no instructions to
form such a team.
“We can’t do anything without instructions,” he
said.
It’s a fairly standard response from a bureaucrat
that perhaps in normal circumstances wouldn’t
raise too many eyebrows. But at time when
people are nervous and feel vulnerable because
of COVID-19, inaction from government officials
can be a significant source of tension.
The following day, matters nearly came to a head
in my ward. At the time health authorities had
confirmed 10 cases of COVID-19 in Myanmar,
most of which had been related to overseas
travel. We had seven returnees from abroad in
our ward who were self-quarantining at their
homes, but they were not being monitored by the
ward authorities. That night, a crowd of
concerned ward residents gathered in front of the
administrator’s home to complain about the
situation.
One woman described the administrator as
“useless” and accused him of “getting the whole
ward into trouble”.
The administrator appeared and asked people to
calm down. He promised to send the returnees to
a quarantine centre, which he did two days later.
Before, I wasn’t particularly interested in my
neighbourhood. But working from home as a
precaution against the spread of COVID-19 has
enabled me to observe it more closely,
particularly the way local officials are responding
to the coronavirus threat.
North Okkapala is one of 33 townships that make
up the Yangon municipal area, and has a
population of about 300,000 across 22 wards.
Source: Frontier Myanmar
https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/yangon-covid-19-
prevention-frustrated-by-administrative-discord
09 Apr 2020
Policy and RegulationUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC 20PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Myanmar President Orders Officials to Preserve Evidence of Rakhine Atrocities
YANGON—The Myanmar President’s Office on
Thursday ordered Union-level ministries and the
Rakhine State government to preserve evidence
related to alleged human rights violations against
the Rohingya in northern Rakhine State that
were investigated by a government commission.
The President’s Office said the aim of the
directive is to assist criminal investigations and
ensure they proceed against the perpetrators. It
also warns that anyone who destroys evidence
will be prosecuted.
The Independent Commission of Enquiry (ICOE)
was formed by the Myanmar government in 2018
to investigate allegations of human rights
violations and related issues in the wake of
terrorist attacks by the Arakan Rohingya
Salvation Army (ARSA) in Rakhine State.
More than 700,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar to
neighboring Bangladesh in late 2017 after the
government’s security forces launched clearance
operations in northern Rakhine State in response
to the ARSA attacks. Those who fled recalled
arbitrary killings, rape and arson against their
property by Myanmar security forces. UN
investigators said the operations had “genocidal
intent”. Both the Myanmar government and
military have denied the accusations.
In January, the commission submitted its final
report to Myanmar President U Win Myint and
State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. While
denying the security operations had genocidal
intent, the report admitted that “war crimes,
serious human rights violations, and violations of
domestic law took place.”
The report states that crimes occurred including
mass killings of Rohingya and the failure to
prevent the burning of homes in abandoned
Muslim villages—both alleged to have been
committed by members of the Myanmar security
forces.
President U Win Myint forwarded the report to
the country’s military chief and Union Attorney
General (UAG) for use in investigating and
prosecuting the military personnel responsible.
Both the UAG’s office and the Office of the Judge
Advocate General said they are undertaking
criminal investigations into the incidents
mentioned in the report, Thursday’s directive
states.
Source: The Irrawaddy
https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanma
r-president-orders-officials-preserve-evidence-
rakhine-atrocities.html
09 Apr 2020
Workers, mothers and elderly to benefit from $25m in COVID-19 foreign aid
MORE THAN US$25 million is being provided by
the Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT),
European Union, United States and Australia to
support Myanmar’s response to the COVID-19
pandemic, including cash grants totalling millions
of dollars to affected or vulnerable groups.
The assistance will benefit workers who have lost
their jobs, internal migrant workers and those
returned from abroad, mothers, the elderly and
people displaced by conflict. It also includes
technical support and the supply of medical
equipment.
Many of those targeted will receive one-off or
ongoing cash payments distributed through the
Wave Money mobile platform, making
disbursement faster and more efficient.
In separate statements on April 9, LIFT, the EU
and Australia announced funding support of
$15.8 million, €5 million (about $5.47 million) and
AUD$500,000 (about $318,000), respectively.
The announcements came after the US said on
March 31 it was providing Myanmar with about
$3.8 million in health and humanitarian funding
as part of its emergency support for member
countries of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations.
LIFT said its funding support was expected to
benefit about 5.9 million people and was focused
on the most vulnerable: migrants, the elderly,
internally displaced people, pregnant women and
those with children aged under two.
It said $2.9 million had been allocated for
immediate assistance to migrants to prevent the
spread of the virus and to provide economic and
legal support. The allocation includes $1.7 million
to support an estimated 310,000 internal
migrants in peri-urban areas, and $1.2 million for
110,000 returned migrant workers.
LIFT is also providing $4.93 million to cover the
cost of a one-off payment of K30,000 to pregnant
women and mothers of children under the age of
two. The payment will benefit more than 1 million
people, including 242,000 directly. One-off
payments of K30,000, totalling $4.07 million, will
also be provided to support the elderly.
Civil society is receiving $1.5 million from LIFT to
strengthen the assistance it is providing to the
government’s response, and the fund is also
providing $268,000 to give IDPs in Rakhine State
access to clean water and hygiene products.
Source: Frontier Myanmar
https://frontiermyanmar.net/en/workers-mothers-
and-elderly-to-benefit-from-25m-in-covid-19-
foreign-aid
10 Apr 2020
Policy and RegulationUpcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
Tender Opportunities
21
12 April 2020
PwC
Tender Opportunities in Myanmar
22PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Source: World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, Consult Myanmar
No Organisation Title Publication Date Closing Date
1 Asian Development Bank Climate-Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector Project - CS-09 Capacity Building and Climate Smart
Agriculture Training Consultants (48409-003)
19-Feb-2020 20-Apr-2020
2 Asian Development Bank TA-9916 REG: Greater Mekong Subregion Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (53391-001) 05-Apr-2020 20-Apr-2020
3 Asian Development Bank TA-9915 REG: Greater Mekong Subregion Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Program -
Consulting Firm (53390-001)
05-Apr-2020 20-Apr-2020
4 World Bank Consultancy Services for Water Storage ASA 08-Apr-2020 21-Apr-2020
5 Asian Development Bank Climate-Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector Project - CS-02 Feasibility Studies and Detailed Design
Consultants (FSDDC) (48409-003)
25-Feb-2020 25-Apr-2020
6 Yangon City
Development Committee
Invitation for Prequalification Greater Yangon Water Supply Improvement Project Phase 2 17 Mar 2020 04 May 2020
Upcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
MIC Permitted Projects
23
12 April 2020
PwC
MIC Permitted Projects – Meeting (5/2020)
24PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
No Name of Company Type of Investment Form of Investment
1Habras-MZZ Plantation Myanmar Co., Ltd Plantation of eucalyptus, acacia and sales of pulpwood chips Joint venture
2TBS Myanmar Co., Ltd Manufacturing of handbags for 100% export Wholly foreign-owned
3Zhong Lian Feng Co., Ltd Production and sales of Mind Steel (MS) rods Wholly foreign owned
4Wiseley Enterprises Limited Manufacturing of garment on CMP basis Wholly foreign owned
5Sann Shinn & Brothers Co., Ltd Manufacturing and sales of fibre cement board Wholly Myanmar owned
6Myanmar Fiber Optic Communication Network Co., Ltd
Construction operation (lease),and maintenance of towers, masts, rooftop
polesWholly foreign owned
7 Myanma Kyal Sin Lin Construction Co., Ltd. (Lashio
District)
Construction of community centre, staff house, and leasing of shop house on
BOT basisWholly Myanmar owned
8 Myanma Kyal Sin Lin Construction Co., Ltd. (Taunggyi
District)
Construction of community centre, staff house, and leasing of shop house on
BOT basis
Wholly Myanmar owned
9 Century Bright Gold Co., Ltd Construction and operation of agricultural machinery and construction
material shopping centreWholly Myanmar owned
10
School City Co., Ltd (Permit)
Construction, leasing and management of commercial and office building,
school and transportation related services including bus exchange and taxi
stand
Joint venture
Source: DICA
Upcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
Upcoming Events
25
12 April 2020
PwC
Upcoming Events
26PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
Source: 10times.com, go-Myanmar.com
No Date Location Name of Event Sector Focus Points
1 27-28 Apr 2020 Yangon Myanmar Insurance Summit Banking & Finance “The theme of the conference will be Ushering In the New Growth Wave
to give a quick synoptic overview of the potential in Myanmar while
highlighting the power of strategic alliance and partnership to serve the
needs of the growing market for protection.”
2 12-14 May 2020 Yangon AAPG/EAGE Myanmar Oil & Gas Conference Power and Energy “AAPG/EAGE Myanmar Oil & Gas Conference will provide the
opportunity to understand the significant progress made over the last 16
months and network and share experiences with colleagues. It will cover
areas like Regional Geology & Tectonic Evolution, Depositional Systems
From Source to Sink, Petroleum Systems and Plays, Risk
reduction/management, and Innovation and Emerging Technologies.”
3 20-21 May 2020 Yangon Myanmar Power Development Summit Power and Energy “With a population of around 60 million, Myanmar ranks the lowest in
terms of electrification rate in the ASEAN countries as less than 40% of
its populations have access to electricity. The MPDS is going to invite
around 200 senior representatives from government, power producers
and utilities, investors, banks, law firms and suppliers to discuss the latest
development of Myanmar power industry and share insights into its future
prospects in an quickly evolving global energy mix.”
4 26-28 Jun 2020 Yangon Agri Tech Myanmar Agriculture &
Forestry
“The Myanmar International Livestock and Agriculture Show will focus on
the development of the livestock and agriculture sector by educating and
transferring the new technology and introducing new products and
services to the farmers, connecting local business personnel with the
international in their respective fields, and to draw the attention of
investors in the livestock and agriculture sector in Myanmar.”
Upcoming Events MIC Permitted ProjectsTender OpportunitiesPolicy and Regulation InfrastructureFinancial and Business
12 April 2020
PwC
PwC Myanmar
27PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
PwC Myanmar helps organisations and individuals create the value they’re looking for. Our firm comprises of highly qualified local professionals with years of international experience, supported by
domain experts from PwC Singapore; a combination that brings you in-depth, on-the-ground knowledge base while tapping on PwC’s global reach and expertise. We are committed to helping organisations
adapt their commercial interests successfully, transform and develop their operations, solve their business issues, and identify as well as maximise the opportunities they seek.
With the opening of our firm in Yangon on 6 November 2012, PwC Myanmar is a member firm of the PwC Network - comprising of a network of firms (with each being a separate legal entity) in 157
countries with more than 276,000 people, who are dedicated to working together, providing quality services to clients throughout the world.
PwC Service Offerings • Business strategy
• Busy-side due diligence
• Capital projects & infrastructure advisory
• Capital raising
• Corporatisation & Privatisation
• Direct and indirect taxation services
• Governance and controls
• Forensic services
• Incorporation and corporate secretarial services
• IFRS/Financial reporting advisory
• Joint venture & strategic alliance
• IT risk and security
• Post-deal integration
• Mergers and acquisition – sell side transaction support
• Mergers and acquisitions – financial Advisor
• Market entry advisory & market studies
• Stock market listing preparation
• Project assurance
• Pre-deal re-organisation
• Valuations advisory
Transforming Yangon
the Heart of Myanmar
Myanmar Business
Guide
Doing Business in
Yangon
IFRS 16 New Leasing
Standard Tax Updates
Fitting together the
pieces of the
infrastructure puzzle
Our Thought Leadership in Myanmar
© 2020 PricewaterhouseCoopers Myanmar Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. In this document, “PwC” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers Myanmar Co. Ltd., which is a member firm of
PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member firm of which is a separate legal entity. Please see http://www.pwc.com/structure for further details.
PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence PublicationFor further information please contact:
Jennifer Tay
Partner
Capital Projects & Infrastructure, PwC Singapore
+65 8876 9300
jennifer.c.tay@sg.pwc.com
Soe Moe Aung
Manager
Deal Advisory, Capital Projects & Infrastructure, PwC Myanmar
+95 968 082 3394
soe.moe.aung@mm.pwc.com
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