On June 5–7, Myanmar hosted the World Economic Forum on East Asia
(WEFEA). It was a successful event, attended by more than 900 business
and government leaders from around the world.
Once again, by hosting this prestigious event, Myanmar was in the limelight of the international community. On the sidelines of the forum, an Energy Summit was convened, in which the World Economic Forum (WEF) launched its new energy architecture for Myanmar.
The choice of Myanmar as the host of the highly esteemed WEFEA is not without reason. The WEF has greatly valued Myanmar’s bold measures in its economic and political reforms.
It has considered the country’s potential contribution to the region when it assumes the ASEAN chairmanship in 2014.
In the past few years, Myanmar has fascinated both governments and business communities in Asia and beyond. Many heads of states and governments have made official or state visits to the country, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on April 23–24.
These visits usually included a large group of private sector representatives, with plans for business and investment in Myanmar.
The visit of Yudhoyono to Myanmar has resulted in a renewed shared commitment of both leaders to enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation, in particular in the fields of trade and investment as well as food and energy security.
Among Yudhoyono’s entourage were CEOs from a number of state-owned and private companies.
New initiatives were carried forward in investment cooperation in the sectors of mining, infrastructure, telecommunications and ICT, and airplane maintenance.
To most private companies, Myanmar means business. In this regard, many CEOs of multinational corporations have not only visited Myanmar but have also made investment pledges to the country.
As reported by various media, recently the Coca Cola Company and Unilever announced an investment plan of a total of nearly US$1 billion in the country over the next 10 years.
Myanmar not only received incoming visits by foreign dignitaries and business leaders but also through its leaders — especially President Thein Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi — who made overseas visits. One of the most recent was the historic visit by President Thein Sein to the US.
Reforms in Myanmar are unfolding with notable results, and their pace is fast. In the political area, following the release of Suu Kyi in 2010 and hundreds of other political prisoners in 2011, the government established a National Human Rights Commission, introduced new labor laws that allow labor union strikes and eased press censorship.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) was allowed to participate in the 2012 elections. Winning 43 out of the 45 contested seats, the NLD and Suu Kyi became an important part of the Myanmar parliament. Even recently, in light of the 2015 general elections in Myanmar, Suu Kyi declared her intention to run for the presidency.
Reforms in the economic sector have also yielded tangible results. Myanmar has introduced a number of legal, institutional and administrative measures to strengthen its economic foundation and liberalize the economy.
Through these multiple measures, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Myanmar was able to achieve 6.3 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the fiscal year 2012.
The ADB also estimates that the country’s GDP growth for fiscal year 2013 and 2014 will reach 6.5 percent and 6.7 percent respectively.
I was privileged to have the opportunity to obtain first-hand the experience of Myanmar’s development during a visit to Myanmar in April 2013.
The international airport of Yangon was marked by a blend of modern and traditional pan seh myo architecture. The inside of the airport offered a mini-Changi level of comfort and convenience.
The new city of Nay Pyi Taw, which serves as the capital of Myanmar, was even more breathtaking. The city hosts modern shopping centers and hotels as well as majestic government buildings and the Uppatasanti Pagoda.
As I was driving on the 323.2 kilometer highway from Nay Pyi Taw to Yangon, I observed the ongoing construction activities of public facilities all along. The highway had eight lanes and it was largely empty.
There are four factors that can support the sustainability of reforms in Myanmar. First, effective responses to the challenges of ethnic and religious diversity. Like Indonesia, Myanmar is blessed with ethnic and religious diversity. Major ethnic groups in Myanmar include the Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Bamar, Rakhine and Shan. Efforts by the Myanmar government to achieve a durable peace continue in conflicts that involve, among others, the Kachin, Chin and Shan.
In addition to recognizing the special position of Buddhism, the 2008 Myanmar Constitution also recognizes Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Animism as religions existing in the country.
Communal conflicts in Rakhine state involving the Rohingyas have generated religious sentiment, which also posed a new challenge to Myanmar’s efforts to create durable peace and stability.
President Thein Sein fully understands the situation. He has expressed his strong commitment to solving all the conflicts. In his speech at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University on May 20, the President said that Myanmar’s goal could not be less than sustainable peace.
This, he added, meant compromise and new agreements on resource sharing, involving not only armed groups, but also political parties and civil society from all ethnic communities in the political dialogues to come.
Second, human resources development, which is critical to achieving sufficient capacity in the government at all levels to provide services and ensure service deliveries to all citizens.
It is also essential in meeting the need for quality local labor, as foreign investment is pouring into the country. This is why capacity building is one of the critical components of Indonesia’s foreign policy toward Myanmar.
Third, building new mindsets and mentalities. At SAIS, President Thein Sein underlined that after decades of authoritarian rule, Myanmar’s mentalities must change and many institutions must be adjusted, others entirely reformed, and new ones must be created.
And fourth, the continued integration of Myanmar into its region and the international community. This is why Myanmar’s chairmanship in ASEAN next year will be critical not only to ASEAN but also to the country.
The writer is an assistant to the special staff to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for international relations. The opinions are his own.
source: The Jakarta Post
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