PWC MYANMAR WEEKLY BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE - ISSUE NO. 201 - 23 FEBRUARY 2020

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PWC MYANMAR WEEKLY BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE - ISSUE NO. 201 - 23 FEBRUARY 2020
PwC Myanmar Weekly
Business Intelligence
Issue No. 201

23 February 2020
PWC MYANMAR WEEKLY BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE - ISSUE NO. 201 - 23 FEBRUARY 2020
Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

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PwC   PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence                                                                                                                                                                          2
PWC MYANMAR WEEKLY BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE - ISSUE NO. 201 - 23 FEBRUARY 2020
PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence
                                                                                                                           MIC
                                              Financial and                          Policy and           Tender                          Upcoming
           Issue - 201, 23 Feb 2020             Business
                                                                 Infrastructure
                                                                                     Regulation         Opportunities
                                                                                                                        Permitted
                                                                                                                                           Events
                                                                                                                         Projects

                                                                                                                             Infrastructure
                                                                                                                                  Infrastructure
       Highlights
       •     “Yangon Investment Forum which is scheduled for February is suspended due to the spreading of
                                                                                                                                     Transport
             coronavirus, said U Thant Zin Lwin, Secretary of MIC. The investment forums are scheduled to
             take place in Yangon, Sagaing, and Bago Regions during this year.”                                                      •   Yangon Water Bus to use Singapore, Thai ferries when service resumes
       •     “Myanmar plans to let some foreigners trade local stocks from March, in an initial step toward                          •   Govt. to build US$160 M worth Thilawa-Bago road
             expanding the country’s small bourse. Expatriates residing in the nation will be the first allowed to                   •   Grab bags $700m from Mitsubishi UFJ
             trade on the Yangon Stock Exchange, with permission for other foreigners coming later in stages,
             Htay Chun, a commissioner at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Myanmar”                                         Energy

       •     “Myanmar will start the process of disbursing loans supported with credit assessments from the                          •   New gas field discovered in offshore Rakhine
             Myanmar Credit Bureau by April, Daw Than Than Swe, director general of the Financial Institutions                       •   NEP Phase 1 to be finished at the end of Sept
             Supervision Department under the Central Bank of Myanmar”
                                                                                                                                     •   Chinese company granted licence to explore Block D
                                                                                                                                     Real Estate
            Financial and Business                                                                                                   •   China keen to invest in Dawei SEZ
                                                                                                                                     •   Industrial zone in Kyaukphyu SEZ to be built at $30m
  •        Yangon Investment Forum suspended due to virus fear
                                                                                                                                     •   Taxpayers bear the costs of loss-making steel factory in Mandalay
  •        Transparency and corporate governance will benefit Myanmar economic growth: UK trade envoy
                                                                                                                                     Waste and Water
  •        KB Kookmin Bank prepares to expand in Myanmar
                                                                                                                                     •   Wild waters: Kachin
  •        Myanmar prepares to let foreigners trade local stocks from March
  •        World Bank: Myanmar Must Push Deeper Reform for Inclusive Economic Growth
                                                                                                                                     Other Infra
                                                                                                                                     •   Delivery app starts service in Yangon
           Policy and Regulation                                                                                                     •   Three foreign companies withdraw investments from Thilawa SEZ
                                                                                                                                     •   DaNa Facility Unveils Report on Kachin State’s SME Ecosystem
  •        e-Government system crucial for country’s development: State Counsellor
  •        Myanmar Credit Bureau to commence operations in April
  •        Only 5% of land purchase applications in Yangon valid: officials
  •        Yangon MPs Draft Bill to Rein In Mismanagement of Public Funds
                                                                                                                                                                                                             23 February 2020
  •        Myanmar Reportedly Set to Be Placed on Global Money-Laundering Watchlist
 PwC                                                                                                                                                                                                                       3
PWC MYANMAR WEEKLY BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE - ISSUE NO. 201 - 23 FEBRUARY 2020
Financial and Business

                         23 February 2020
                                       4
PWC MYANMAR WEEKLY BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE - ISSUE NO. 201 - 23 FEBRUARY 2020
Financial and Business
                                                                                                 Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

  Yangon Investment Forum suspended due to virus fear                                                                     Myanmar aviation sector expected to become
                                                                                                                             profitable, but more pain ahead first
                                            21 Feb 2020                                                                                                             27 Jan 2020

Yangon Investment Forum which is scheduled         on 10 May 2019.                                                Myanmar’s aviation industry is betting on a more            tourist attractions in the future,” U Kyaw Nyein.
for February is suspended due to the spreading     At Yangon Investment Forum (2019), Myanmar                     profitable future with the number of airlines now           Air KBZ has also been expanding. Last year, it
of coronavirus, said U Thant Zin Lwin, Secretary   State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said the                 reduced to half compared to 2017 and demand                 upgraded its fleet of planes and announced new
of Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC)             government     would    create    a    favorable,              for domestic air travel expected to catch up with           destinations to Dawei , Kaw Thaung , Myeik,
The investment forums are scheduled to take        transparent business environment for investors.                supply. However, they will have to swallow more             Sittwe, Kyaingtong, Hkamti and Loikaw. its sister
place in Yangon, Sagaing, and Bago Regions         She also urged businesspersons to grasp                        losses in the short term before things get better.          airline, Myanmar Airways International, added a
during this year.                                  investment opportunities in Yangon Region. In a                There are currently five airlines in Myanmar,               new Airbus A319 to its fleet, expanding its
Currently, there is no plan to suspend Sagaing     bid to bring about economic growth for future                  down from ten three years ago. But even though              capacity by 144 passengers.
Investment Forum scheduled for March.              Myanmar, the government on its part would                      there are fewer players now in the market, the              Tanes Kumar, commercial director for Air KBZ,
Following the outbreak of coronavirus, the         extend a helping hand to investors.                            volume of passengers flying domestic remains                said even though the new routes are not yet
number of Chinese businesspersons who will                                                                        below three million, according to government                profitable, the main aim of adding new
discuss the Directorate of Investment and                                                                         data.                                                       destinations is to expand the airline’s network
Company Administration (DICA) has declined.                                                                        At those levels, demand is not sufficient to cover         and connectivity. “This gives passengers more
But there is no cancellation of agreed                                                                            the industry’s losses, U Kyaw Nyein, CEO of                 options and allows employees to learn new skills
investments, he added.                                                                                            Golden Myanmar Airlines (GMA), told The                     for more expansion in the future,” he said.
The spreading of coronavirus in China may lead                                                                    Myanmar Times in a recent interview.
to stagnant businesses not only in Myanmar but                                                                    But profitability is possible in the years ahead,
also in China. It may have a knock-on effect on                                                                   making it a good time for the remaining airlines to         Source: Myanmar Times
the countries which have economic relations with                                                                  accelerate their plans for expansion to capitalise
                                                                                                                                                                              https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanma
China.                                                                                                            on future demand, according to a 2019 report by
                                                                                                                                                                              r-aviation-sector-expected-become-
“Border areas see temporary suspension.                                                                           the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.
Cambodia and Thailand quarantine the                                                                               Last year, GMA took delivery of a new aircraft,            profitable-more-pain-ahead-first.html
suspected people for 14 days. Myanmar also                                                                        taking its current fleet of ATR-72s to three. “With
needs to monitor the tourists,” he added.          Source: Consult Myanmar                                        the additional seats, we can now fly daily
Yangon Investment Forum (2018) was held at         https://consult-                                               compared to alternate days before. We will also
Novotel Hotel in Yangon on 9 May 2018 and          myanmar.com/2020/02/21/yangon-investment-                      extend our destinations to include more flights to
Yangon Investment Forum (2019), at Lotte Hotel     forum-suspended-due-to-virus-fear/                             Dawei and Kaw Thaung, which could be potential

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    23 February 2020
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PWC MYANMAR WEEKLY BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE - ISSUE NO. 201 - 23 FEBRUARY 2020
Financial and Business
                                                                                                        Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

      Transparency and corporate governance will benefit                                                                         KB Kookmin Bank prepares to expand in Myanmar
         Myanmar economic growth: UK trade envoy
                                            18 Feb 2020                                                                                                                    19 Feb 2020

Myanmar needs to ensure that its economic            of the Muslim minority in northern Rakhine.                         KB Kookmin Bank (KB), South Korea’s largest                 syndicated loans in Korea, has agreed to
growth is “a force for good” for the country’s       Between 2011 and 2016 Myanmar’s GDP has                             bank, is preparing to acquire a corporate license           cooperate with the Ministry of Planning, Finance
transition to democracy, said Paul Scully, the UK    grown by an average of 7.3 percent annually and                     permitting it to sell advanced financial products in        and Industry to privatise state-owned enterprises
Prime Minister’s trade envoy to Myanmar, during      11.8 million people have been lifted out of                         Myanmar.                                                    and promote projects under Public Private
his visit to the country this month.                 poverty in 12 years, Mr Scully pointed out. Under                   The bank plans to introduce new financial                   Partnerships.
Speaking at the launch of the Myanmar Centre         the National League for Democracy-led                               instruments and services in retail banking, such            In addition, KB plans to promote the Korea
for Responsible Business’s Pwint Thit Sa 2020        government, the growth rate has slowed slightly                     as housing and SME finance, corporate finance,              Myanmar Industrial Complex in Hlegu township,
assessment, Mr Scully, whose father and              but is still above 6pc.                                             including trade finance and infrastructure finance,         Yangon, to their numerous corporate clients in
grandfather are half-Burmese, said one way to         “But growth on its own is not enough. To build a                   digital banking and personal banking services.              South Korea and draw them to do business in
ensure that economic growth makes a positive         bright future for its people Myanmar must make                      KB is Korea’s No.1 housing finance bank. Kim                the industrial zone. With active engagement by
impact on Myanmar is for businesses to be            progress across the board - on inclusion, on                        Chang-woo, head of KB Yangon office, said KB                KB, which has the largest market share of
responsible in their governance and practices.       conflict, on politics. In all of this, growth can play              will leverage on its cooperative ties with the              corporate financial loans among Korean banks,
The trade envoy’s visit came as the UK has           a positive or negative role - we need to ensure                     Ministry of Construction and share its know-how             foreign direct investment inflows from Korean
formally left the European Union and after           economic development is a force for good,” said                     in housing financial products and services.                 companies to Myanmar is expected to increase.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s historic visit to        the British lawmaker.                                               Mr Kim added that KB micro-financing unit, KB               KB will also conduct financial and accounting
Myanmar. It reflects the changing approach of        While aid programmes are important, foreign                         MFI, has provided micro-housing financial                   education programmes in Myanmar to activate
the UK in Myanmar as well as the Southeast           investments committed in Myanmar are more                           products for low-income householders for the                small and medium-sized enterprises. Moreover,
Asian region under Prime Minister Boris              than triple the amount of international                             first time in Myanmar. As of the end of 2019,               as the No. 1 bank of Small Office Home Office
Johnson. Britain recently appointed its first        development assistance, he said.                                    approximately K12 billion has been distributed to           (SOHO) finance in Korea, KB will introduce
ambassador dedicated to the Association of                                                                               about 4,000 households at a lower rate than                 advanced and diverse SOHO loan products and
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and is                                                                                   products by other microfinance institutions.                services for the purpose of providing financial
expected to scale up its engagement with the                                                                             KB, which is also No.1 in digital banking in                support for SMEs.
region.                                                                                                                  Korea, will digitise the funds dispatch process in
The visit also signals that the UK is keen to        Source: Myanmar Times                                               Myanmar with the aim of effectively preventing
engage with Myanmar and support its transition,      https://www.mmtimes.com/news/transparency-                          illegal remittances, or the usage of illegal Hundis,        Source: Myanmar Times
including      economic      reforms, amid     the   and-corporate-governance-will-benefit-myanmar-                      by migrant workers.                                         https://www.mmtimes.com/news/kb-kookmin-
international backlash over Myanmar’s treatment      economic-growth-uk-trade-envoy.html                                 The bank, which is also a top provider of                   bank-prepares-expand-myanmar.html

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PWC MYANMAR WEEKLY BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE - ISSUE NO. 201 - 23 FEBRUARY 2020
Financial and Business
                                                                                                      Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

      Myanmar prepares to let foreigners trade local stocks                                                                World Bank: Myanmar Must Push Deeper Reform for
                        from March                                                                                                    Inclusive Economic Growth
                                              19 Feb 2020                                                                                                                19 Feb 2020

Myanmar plans to let some foreigners trade local       Existing rules allow overseas investors to own a                YANGON—The World Bank’s latest research                     tariffs to cost-recovery levels while protecting
stocks from March, in an initial step toward           maximum 35% of a local company. Firms must                      says Myanmar needs deeper reforms to achieve                low-income users; following through on well-
expanding     the    country’s    small    bourse.     meet 17 criteria to be eligible for listing on the              strong and continuing economic growth,                      regulated foreign investment in the banking,
Expatriates residing in the nation will be the first   main board, such as being profitable for at least               including    steps   to    strengthen   financial           insurance and retail sectors; and gradually
allowed to trade on the Yangon Stock Exchange,         two years and having a minimum of 100                           management, promote peace and enhance                       deregulating bank interest rates
with permission for other foreigners coming later      shareholders. In the bond market, the securities                environmental sustainability.                               The bank said these reforms will stimulate the
in stages, Htay Chun, a commissioner at the            regulator is working toward a framework that                    The new World Bank report “Myanmar:                         private sector by increasing competition and
Securities and Exchange Commission of                  would allow companies to issue bonds potentially                Economic Transition Amid Conflict; A Systematic             connecting people to services and markets
Myanmar, said in an interview Tuesday in               as early as the second half of 2020, Htay Chun                  Country Diagnostic,” says the government needs              regardless of region and demographic.
Yangon. Allowing foreigners to buy stocks is one       said. Public backing from senior politicians like               to implement these deeper reforms to ensure                 The research found that the momentum of
of the ways Myanmar hopes to bolster its               de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi would help                     long-lasting and inclusive growth across the                Myanmar’s transition has slowed recently and
otherwise moribund Myanpix equity index, which         Myanmar to deepen its capital markets, he said.                 country.                                                    said the government must push strong policies to
is almost four years old but has only five stocks.     “If they stressed the importance of the capital                 According to the report, Myanmar’s existing                 accelerate growth and ensure that benefits are
Critics say the long-delayed step is an example        markets, more people would be interested in                     reforms have generated immediate gains by                   shared more widely.
of the slow pace of regulatory change in the           investing here,” Htay Chun added.                               reducing fiscal deficits and supporting a more              The bank said that Myanmar’s weak responses
Southeast Asian nation. Myanmar also plans to                                                                          independent central bank to lower inflation and             to the Rakhine crisis and heightened violence in
establish a second board with looser listing rules                                                                     unify the exchange rate. They have also opened              Kachin, Shan and Chin states have illustrated
than the main market. Htay Chun said foreigners                                                                        up telecommunications and manufacturing                     major challenges to inclusive development.
would be allowed to trade on the second board,                                                                         sectors to foreign investors as a means to                  According to the bank, economic growth
and that it may be set up by the third quarter of                                                                      increase employment rates.                                  decelerated from 8 percent in 2014-15 to 6.2
the year. “We’re aiming to have as many as 10                                                                          However, the World Bank said that Myanmar’s                 percent in 2017-18.
companies on the second board when it                                                                                  reforms also need to support infrastructure and
launches,” he said. Foreigners could make up                                                                           efficient markets in order to secure long-term
15% of Myanmar stock trading initially, rising to                                                                      economic progress.                                          Source: Irrawaddy
as much as 40% eventually, Ryota Sugishita,            Source: Deal Street Asia                                        According to the bank, these reforms will be                https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/world-
chief consultant at Japan’s Daiwa Institute of         https://www.dealstreetasia.com/stories/myanmar-                 harder to implement but the benefits can be                 bank-myanmar-must-push-deeper-reform-
Research, said last year. Corporate Bonds              stocks-175529/                                                  longer lasting—reforms such as raising electricity          inclusive-economic-growth.html

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Infrastructure

                 23 February 2020
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Infrastructure                                                  Transport
                                                                                                     Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

  Yangon Water Bus to use Singapore, Thai ferries when                                                                        Myanmar aviation sector expected to become
                   service resumes                                                                                               profitable, but more pain ahead first
                                            20 Feb 2020                                                                                                                 27 Jan 2020

The Yangon Water Bus river transport service         Singapore,” she added.                                           Myanmar’s aviation industry is betting on a more            tourist attractions in the future,” U Kyaw Nyein.
has ordered passenger ferries from Singapore         Two ferries will service the Insein-Botahtaung                   profitable future with the number of airlines now           Air KBZ has also been expanding. Last year, it
and Thailand to replace its old vessels once it      route, while five ferries will service Nga Moe Yeik              reduced to half compared to 2017 and demand                 upgraded its fleet of planes and announced new
resumes operation, the company that runs the         street, she said.                                                for domestic air travel expected to catch up with           destinations to Dawei , Kaw Thaung , Myeik,
line said.                                           The regional government implemented the river                    supply. However, they will have to swallow more             Sittwe, Kyaingtong, Hkamti and Loikaw. its sister
Daw Tint Tint Lwin, chair of Tint Tint Myanmar       service to reduce traffic congestion and cut the                 losses in the short term before things get better.          airline, Myanmar Airways International, added a
Co., said it has also sought the help of a           waiting time for buses, but some commuters did                   There are currently five airlines in Myanmar,               new Airbus A319 to its fleet, expanding its
Singapore company in linking its fare payment        not find it convenient due to its jetty terminals                down from ten three years ago. But even though              capacity by 144 passengers.
system to local mobile banking services KBZ Pay      being too far from bus stops.                                    there are fewer players now in the market, the              Tanes Kumar, commercial director for Air KBZ,
and CB Pay.                                          The estimated cost of the project is US$20                       volume of passengers flying domestic remains                said even though the new routes are not yet
“We are cooperating with a Singapore company         million to $37 million, funded with a loan from                  below three million, according to government                profitable, the main aim of adding new
for technical support,” she said. “We are devising   KBZ Bank.                                                        data.                                                       destinations is to expand the airline’s network
a profit-sharing scheme, but we will take care of                                                                      At those levels, demand is not sufficient to cover         and connectivity. “This gives passengers more
the investment.”                                                                                                      the industry’s losses, U Kyaw Nyein, CEO of                 options and allows employees to learn new skills
The service, which operates on the Yangon                                                                             Golden Myanmar Airlines (GMA), told The                     for more expansion in the future,” he said.
River, has been criticised for delays and slow                                                                        Myanmar Times in a recent interview.
vessels.                                                                                                              But profitability is possible in the years ahead,
It started running in 2017 but suspended                                                                              making it a good time for the remaining airlines to         Source: Myanmar Times
operations in September last year to test new                                                                         accelerate their plans for expansion to capitalise          https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-
vessels. It does not know when it will resume                                                                         on future demand, according to a 2019 report by             aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-
service.                                                                                                              the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.                       more-pain-ahead-first.html
Daw Tint Tint Lwin said there have been delays                                                                         Last year, GMA took delivery of a new aircraft,
in the installation of payment machines on the                                                                        taking its current fleet of ATR-72s to three. “With
vessels.                                             Source: Myanmar Times                                            the additional seats, we can now fly daily
“They need one more month,” she said. “Also,         https://www.mmtimes.com/news/yangon-water-                       compared to alternate days before. We will also
we are building jetties. We will be running soon     bus-use-singapore-thai-ferries-when-service-                     extend our destinations to include more flights to
with seven ferries imported from Thailand and        resumes.html                                                     Dawei and Kaw Thaung, which could be potential

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        23 February 2020
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Infrastructure                                                Transport
                                                                                                Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

      Govt. to build US$160 M worth Thilawa-Bago road                                                                               Grab bags $700m from Mitsubishi UFJ
                                                                                                                                                   years
                                            22 Feb 2020                                                                                                            20 Feb 2020

 Myanmar is planning to build Thanlyin (Thilawa)-   Mae Sot, Thailand through Kawkayeik-Myawady                  Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc is               Airport.
Bago (Kamarse) Road connected with Asia             in Kayin State, from Kyaikhto to Bangkok,                    investing more than US$700 million in ride-                 Grab will expand its services to other key cities in
Highway Road with the aid of JICA and ADB           Thailand through Mawlamyaing-Thanphyusayet                   hailing firm Grab.                                          Myanmar this year. GrabFood will be launched
soon, according to Ministry of Construction.        in Mon State, from Dawei deep seaport to                     The Japanese financial institution intends to               for local restaurants and transportation partners
“We have a plan which is aided by the JICA and      international ports, from Mawtaung to Bangkok,               market a range of financial services from                   in Mandalay this year.
ADB. All vehicles coming from Thalyin to Yangon     Thailand through Kawthoung, according to the                 insurance to loans to Grab’s users, Bloomberg               In 2018, Grab launched its Grab Thone Bane
have to go to Htaukkyant through Bago before        ministry.                                                    quoted a source as saying.                                  (three-wheeler) service in Bagan and Mandalay
coming to Yangon. Cars coming from Pyay are                                                                      Grab is also backed by Japan’s SoftBank Group               city, and Grab TaxiPlus service.
jammed on the roads leading to Yangon. That’s                                                                    Corp, which has invested more than $2.6 billion             Grab launched its service in Myanmar in July
why we planned to build the new road,” said                                                                      in the app.                                                 2017, and has since introduced Grab Taxi Call
Kyaw Lin, Deputy Minister for Construction.                                                                      The startup said its app has been downloaded                service, Premium Rentals (Beat), and Grab
“The old road is leading to Bago before crossing                                                                 onto more than 166 million mobile devices in the            Food.
the river to Mawlamyaing and Hpa-an. The new                                                                     region. It is trying to build a regional super-app
road is directly connected between Thanlyin and                                                                  that offers a range of services including finance,
Kamarse. So Asia Highway Road will be                                                                            payments and rides.
connected with Thilawa via this road,” said an                                                                   In Myanmar, Grab has invested over $100 million
official from the ministry.                                                                                      (K143.5 billion) in the past four years to
The new road will connect Thilawa industrial port                                                                strengthen its position on the local taxi market.
to lower areas of Myanmar such as Mon and                                                                        The company’s taxi service experienced an
Kayin states and Taninthayi Region in a short                                                                    increase of 10 percent in daily rides in 2019 from
time. Moreover local products will be sent                                                                       the previous year, and added more than 196,000
through this new road to other countries via                                                                     more precise location points in the Grab
Thilawa industrial port in a short time.                                                                         application.
The new road will be shorter than Yangon-                                                                        The number of companies using Grab for
Bayargyi-Sittaung Road currently using now and      Source: Eleven Myanmar                                       Business also doubled in 2019, and the most                 Source: Myanmar Times
it will also deal with traffic jams.                https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/govt-to-build-                popular destinations for rides were Myanmar                 https://www.mmtimes.com/news/grab-bags-
The road will help to access from Kyaikhto to       us160-m-worth-thilawa-bago-road                              Plaza, Junction City, and Yangon International              700m-mitsubishi-ufj.html

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Infrastructure                                                   Energy
                                                                                                      Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

            New gas field discovered in offshore Rakhine                                                                       Grab says it pumped $100M into Myanmar in
                                                                                                                                                four years
                                               17 Feb 2020                                                                                                               12 Feb 2020

South Korean conglomerate Posco International           Shwe is a 35-year project with a remaining 29-                 Ride-sharing company Grab has invested over                 across the country this year, Toh said. GrabFood
Corporation has discovered a new gas field in           year term. Commercial drillings have already                   US$100 million (K143.5 billion) in Myanmar in               will be launched for local restaurants and
Block A3 at the Shwe natural gas project located        started in A1, and will commence at the Mya gas                the past four years to strengthen its position on           transportation partners in Mandalay this year.
offshore Rakhine, The Myanmar Times                     field in A3 in 2025.                                           the local taxi market, a senior company official            “Although food delivery is increasing locally, it
understands.                                                                                                           said Tuesday.                                               still lags behind other countries. We have many
The company confirmed that it had found a gas                                                                          Cindy Toh, country manager for Grab, said the               opportunities,” said U Myat Kaung Min, head of
column of around 18 meters at its Mahar-1                                                                              company will continue investing to further                  GrabFood Myanmar.
exploration well after it began exploratory                                                                            improve the quality of its service in Myanmar.              Grab For Good will be launched in Myanmar
undersea drilling in Block A3 last month.                                                                              “Grab will emphasise service quality and safety,            soon.
The discovery was made more than 2,500                                                                                 not only technology,” she told a briefing. “We will         In 2018, Grab launched its Grab Thone Bane
meters into the seabed and could yield about 38                                                                        continue investing in expansion and partnerships            (three-wheeler) service in Bagan and Mandalay
million cubic feet of natural gas per day, the                                                                         to better the platform and expand the                       city, and Grab TaxiPlus service.
Korea Herald has reported.                                                                                             ecosystem.”                                                 More than 166 million people in 339 cities in
Posco International was also quoted as saying                                                                          Grab launched its service in Myanmar in July                Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand,
that it plans to drill a couple of appraisal wells at                                                                  2017, and has since introduced Grab Taxi Call               Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
the site from 2021 and development plans for the                                                                       service, Premium Rentals (Beat), and Grab                   have downloaded the Grab app on their mobile
field will be established 2-3 years later.                                                                             Food.                                                       phones. – Translated
The Shwe natural gas project consists of Blocks                                                                        The company’s taxi service is popular and
A1 and A3. There are currently two existing gas                                                                        experiencing an increase of 10 percent in daily
fields - Shwe and Shwe Phyu - at A1. Up until                                                                          rides in 2019 from the previous year, and adding
Posco International's Mahar-1 discovery, there                                                                         more than 196,000 more precise location points
was only one gas field - Mya - in A3.                                                                                  in the Grab application.
 Posco International has a 51 percent stake in                                                                         The number of businesses using Grab for
the Shwe natural gas project, while Myanma Oil                                                                         Business doubled in 2019, and the most popular              Source: Myanmar Times
and Gas Enterprise, KOGAS and Indian                    Source: Myanmar Times                                          destinations for rides were Myanmar Plaza,                  https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-
companies Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and           https://www.mmtimes.com/news/new-gas-field-                    Junction City, and Yangon Airport.                          aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-
Gail Limited hold the remaining 49pc.                   discovered-offshore-rakhine.html                               Grab will expand its services to other key cities           more-pain-ahead-first.html

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         23 February 2020
PwC   PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence                                                                                                                                                                                        11
Infrastructure                                                    Energy
                                                                                                      Financial and Business    Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

           NEP Phase 1 to be finished at the end of Sept                                                                       Chinese company granted licence to explore Block D

                                              11 Feb 2020                                                                                                                 15 Feb 2020

Phase 1 of National Electrification Project (NEP)      megawatts of electricity will be generated in                   PHNOM PENH (The Phnom Penh Post/ANN) - A                     He noted that the ministry is prioritising attracting
will be finalized at the end of September this year    2021-22 FY and 3,000 megawatts of electricity in                three-year exploration licence in the Gulf of                more investors to the mines and energy sector in
to provide electricity to 626,757 family               2025-26 FY.                                                     Thailand’s Block D, off the coast of Cambodia,               the Kingdom.
households from 5,080 villages, said Union             About 47.25 per cent of family households had                   has been granted to a Chinese-owned                          Block D is a 5,500sq km zone in the Gulf of
Minister Win Khaing for Electricity and Energy.        gained access to national grid in 2018-19 FY and                Cambodian Resources Energy Development Co                    Thailand that was previously licensed to local
The government received a US$310 million loan          it will be reached to 55.72 per cent in 2019-20                 Ltd.                                                         firm CPHL (Cambodia) Co Ltd.
from the World Bank (WB) to implement the              FY, according to figures of 2019-20 FY.                         Chinese-owned Cambodian Resources Energy                     The government revoked that exploration licence
NEP.                                                   Myanmar invested Ks2.327 trillion within about                  Development Co Ltd has been granted a three-                 in May 2016 after the company failed to meet the
Myanmar has 51 state owned and private owned           three-year time and generated over 900                          year exploration licence in the Gulf of Thailand’s           terms of the agreement.
power stations across the country and they can         megawatts of electricity more. It will be over                  Block D, off the coast of Cambodia, a senior                 According to Sour, Cambodia has divided
produce over 5,600 megawatts of electricity. The       1,000 megawatts in mid-2020.                                    official at the General Department of Petroleum              regions for kerosene exploration into six offshore
ministry is implementing three power projects in       “At the present, Myanmar is using from 15 to 19                 told The Post on Thursday.                                   and 19 onshore blocks.
Kanpauk, Ahlone and Mielaunggaint, according           per cent of electricity more annually and the                   General Department of Petroleum director-                    Sour said the ministry is currently negotiating an
to the ministry.                                       ministry is implementing to meet the electricity                general Cheap Sour said the Ministry of Mines                agreement with Canadian firm EnerCam Co to
Over 4.9 million out of 10.8 million family            demand. The government allocated funds for the                  and Energy and Cambodian Resources Energy                    explore Block VIII.
households have gained access to national grip         electricity sector as its priority. A total of 904              Development signed an agreement in December                  “I expect that we will be reaching an agreement
and the ministry is targeting to provide electricity   megawatts of electricity are generated from three               that gave the company the right to explore the               on oil exploration with the company soon,” he
to 50 per cent of entire family households in the      hydropower stations, six thermal energy power                   area.                                                        said. Singapore-based KrisEnergy is currently
country at the end of 2019, said Dr Tun Naing,         stations and one solar power plant between April                The company is scheduled to begin exploration                developing the Apsara oilfield in Cambodia’s
Deputy Minister for Electricity and Energy.            2016 and December 2019,” announced the                          of Block D this year.                                        offshore Block A. The company aims to extract
The electricity production sector is needed to         Ministry of Information quoting President Win                   “Right now, the company is studying all the                  the first drop of oil later this year. The field is
expand to meet the demand and the ministry is          Myint in a ceremony to mark the achievement of                  paperwork. Next, they will begin exploring the oil           expected to reach a peak rate of 7,500 barrels of
implementing 1,230 megawatts electricity project       50 percent nationwide electrification.                          field.                                                       oil per day, according to KrisEnergy.
in Kanpauk, Taninthayi Region, 377 megawatts                                                                           “If they see that the bloc has potential, they will
electricity project in Ahlone, Yangon Region and       Source: Eleven Myanmar                                          begin preparations to extract oil. But we are in             Source: Eleven Myanmar
1,390      megawatts      electricity project     in   https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/nep-phase-1-                     the beginning stages, so it will take a long time            https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/chinese-
Mielaunggaint, Ayeyawady Region. A total of 250        to-be-finished-at-the-end-of-sept                               before any oil is extracted,” he said.                       company-granted-licence-to-explore-block-d

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          23 February 2020
PwC   PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence                                                                                                                                                                                          12
Infrastructure                                                    Real Estate
                                                                                                      Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

                     China keen to invest in Dawei SEZ                                                                         Grab says it pumped $100M into Myanmar in
                                                                                                                                                four years
                                              20 Feb 2020                                                                                                                12 Feb 2020

A state-owned Chinese firm has expressed               developing the Kyauk Phyu SEZ in Rakhine                        Ride-sharing company Grab has invested over                 across the country this year, Toh said. GrabFood
interest to invest in the planned Dawei Special        State. China is building a bullet train route from              US$100 million (K143.5 billion) in Myanmar in               will be launched for local restaurants and
Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tanintharyi Region, U           Kunming, China to Bangkok in Thailand. If they                  the past four years to strengthen its position on           transportation partners in Mandalay this year.
Myint San, vice chair of Dawei SEZ Management          can connect that route to Dawei SEZ, it will be a               the local taxi market, a senior company official            “Although food delivery is increasing locally, it
Committee, told The Myanmar Times.                     great achievement for China. If China wins                      said Tuesday.                                               still lags behind other countries. We have many
The Myanmar government has yet to respond to           [Dawei SEZ], they will connect this route,” U                   Cindy Toh, country manager for Grab, said the               opportunities,” said U Myat Kaung Min, head of
the Chinese, given that talks to develop the SEZ       Myint San said.                                                 company will continue investing to further                  GrabFood Myanmar.
with Italian-Thai Development Company Ltd              Meanwhile, the Myanmar government will                          improve the quality of its service in Myanmar.              Grab For Good will be launched in Myanmar
(ITD) as well as the Thai and Japanese                 increase pressure on ITD as well as the Japan                   “Grab will emphasise service quality and safety,            soon.
governments are at advanced stages. However,           and Thai governments to kick start development                  not only technology,” she told a briefing. “We will         In 2018, Grab launched its Grab Thone Bane
analysts aren’t ruling out the possibility.            at the Dawei SEZ. After years of delays and                     continue investing in expansion and partnerships            (three-wheeler) service in Bagan and Mandalay
“Dawei SEZ has taken a long time to take shape         negotiations, the Dawei SEZ Management                          to better the platform and expand the                       city, and Grab TaxiPlus service.
and isn’t going as planned. As we don’t have the       Committee last month said changes have been                     ecosystem.”                                                 More than 166 million people in 339 cities in
funds to implement it, if the current investors        made to the contractual arrangements with ITD                   Grab launched its service in Myanmar in July                Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand,
cannot develop the project effectively, then           for the development of initial industrial estate.               2017, and has since introduced Grab Taxi Call               Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
Chinese companies are our only options,” said U        Under the amendments, ITD and other investors                   service, Premium Rentals (Beat), and Grab                   have downloaded the Grab app on their mobile
Zaw Win Pe, a local analyst and former                 must compensate and resettle villagers affected                 Food.                                                       phones. – Translated
economic adviser to parliament.                        by industrial zone project. It must also adhere to              The company’s taxi service is popular and
“We’ll complete negotiations with the ITD first. If    international standards on the environment.                     experiencing an increase of 10 percent in daily
we cannot agree to the terms of the project, we                                                                        rides in 2019 from the previous year, and adding
can cancel the contract when it expires. I think                                                                       more than 196,000 more precise location points
the Chinese have the capacity to develop this                                                                          in the Grab application.
project, but we’ll have to wait and see if ITD                                                                         The number of businesses using Grab for
would be able to do it within the specified period,”                                                                   Business doubled in 2019, and the most popular              Source: Myanmar Times
U Zaw Win Pe added.                                    Source: Myanmar Times                                           destinations for rides were Myanmar Plaza,                  https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-
The Chinese are expected to reap strategic             https://www.mmtimes.com/news/china-keen-                        Junction City, and Yangon Airport.                          aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-
benefits if they win Dawei SEZ. “China is already      invest-dawei-sez.html                                           Grab will expand its services to other key cities           more-pain-ahead-first.html

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         23 February 2020
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Infrastructure                                                 Real Estate
                                                                                                     Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

   Industrial zone in Kyaukphyu SEZ to be built at $30m                                                                 Taxpayers bear the costs of loss-making steel factory in
                                                                                                                                              Mandalay
                                            20 Feb 2020                                                                                                                 20 Feb 2020

An industrial zone project within the Kyaukphyu     deep-sea port between the two countries during                    Nearly K500 million in interest is paid daily to            loans,” said Nwartogyi township’s No.1
Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Rakhine State        President Xi Jinping’s visit to Nay Pyi Taw last                  China for a loan taken to run a loss-making state-          Constituency Hluttaw MP Daw Nyein That Nwal.
will be developed for US$30 billion, deputy         month.                                                            owned steel factory in Myingyan township,                   The factory was only able to produce steel billets
commerce minister U Aung Htoo told Pyithu           Tenders will be called to carry out social and                    Mandalay, said U Zarni Aung, regional minister              and steel slabs since becoming operational in
Hluttaw this week.                                  environmental assessments and geological                          for Electricity, Energy and Construction.                   fiscal 2009-10 has only distributed the products
CITIC Consortium from China owns 51 percent         surveys as part of the development process.                       He said the No(1) Steel Mill Project (Myingyan),            to MEC. A supporting air separation plant was
of the industrial zone while the Myanmar            Development of the Kyaukphyu port will enhance                    was first opened in fiscal 2004-05 by the                   also damaged and not repaired, leading to the
government owns 49pc, he said.                      China’s presence in the Indian Ocean, allowing                    Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) with a                   project and production works being suspended
The industrial zone will be developed on 2400       its oil imports to bypass the Strait of Malacca.                  €1.1 billion loan from the China Development                by the Ministry of Planning and Finance since
acres of land and a high-end housing project will   The SEZ is an important asset in the China-                       Bank.                                                       2017. –
also be constructed across 1235 acres.              Myanmar Economic Corridor, which is part of                       “Currently, the total debt including interest is
The Kyaukphyu SEZ, which is expected to             China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which spans                     more than €1.6 billion. The repaid amount up to
consist of the industrial zone and a deep sea       several countries in Asia. It will also be an                     September 2018 was €136.7 million . The
port, will be developed across 4300 acres of land   important connecting point for the high-speed                     amount including interest that needs to be paid
in total.                                           Kunming-Muse-Mandalay-Kyaukphyu              railway              off daily in fiscal 2019-20 is around K500 million,”
Development will be led by China's CITIC            project. – Translated                                             said U Zarni Aung at the Mandalay Region
Consortium and a total of 42 private Myanmar                                                                          Hluttaw on February 18.
companies under Myanmar Kyaukphyu Special                                                                             The mill is directly managed by the Ministry of
Economic Zone Holding Public Co, said U Aung                                                                          Planning and Finance and Industry and is not
Htoo.                                                                                                                 under the management of regional government,
Myanmar will hold a 30pc stake in the SEZ,                                                                            said U Zarni Aung.
which will be developed in phases, while CITIC                                                                        “This project has really high interest rate and was
Consortium will invest 70pc.                                                                                          done by MEC from 2010 to 2012. It was
U Aung Htoo added that negotiations are now                                                                           transferred to No.1 Industry in 2012 and as it was
being held to start implementation of the first     Source: Myanmar Times                                             transferred to the current government after the             Source: Myanmar Times
phase at $1.3 billion. This follows a concession    https://www.mmtimes.com/news/industrial-zone-                     project had been implemented with loans, the                https://www.mmtimes.com/news/taxpayers-bear-
agreement and shareholders’ agreement for the       kyaukphyu-sez-be-built-30m.html                                   public is bearing the burden of repaying these              costs-loss-making-steel-factory-mandalay.html

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        23 February 2020
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Infrastructure                                                  Waste and Water
                                                                                                     Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

                                 Wild waters: Kachin                                                                          Grab says it pumped $100M into Myanmar in
                                                                                                                                               four years
                                            23 Feb 2020                                                                                                                 12 Feb 2020

The ninth instalment in our travel series about      giant super river, the Ayeyarwady. The current is                Ride-sharing company Grab has invested over                 across the country this year, Toh said. GrabFood
wild swimming spots takes us to Myanmar’s            pretty brutal away from the shallows so I can’t                  US$100 million (K143.5 billion) in Myanmar in               will be launched for local restaurants and
northernmost state, a land of ethnic diversity,      really recommend swimming here. What you can                     the past four years to strengthen its position on           transportation partners in Mandalay this year.
impenetrable jungle and… tubing.                     do though is rent a boat (K20,000) for a 15-                     the local taxi market, a senior company official            “Although food delivery is increasing locally, it
Kachin State is famous for Myitsone and manau        minute spin around the river(s). That, and renting               said Tuesday.                                               still lags behind other countries. We have many
festivals, but also contains vast expanses of        out a traditional Kachin outfit, and posing like a               Cindy Toh, country manager for Grab, said the               opportunities,” said U Myat Kaung Min, head of
impenetrable jungle wilderness, a large variety of   total dork in front of the confluence.                           company will continue investing to further                  GrabFood Myanmar.
ethnic groups and even the country’s very own        War Yone Tor Resort                                              improve the quality of its service in Myanmar.              Grab For Good will be launched in Myanmar
section of the Himalayas. So, I hear you ask?        With bamboo huts lining a babbling stream and                    “Grab will emphasise service quality and safety,            soon.
Okay – it also possesses a range of fairly special   mountains looming in the background, this river                  not only technology,” she told a briefing. “We will         In 2018, Grab launched its Grab Thone Bane
water-centric excursions, so next time you make      resort an hour north of Myitkyina is a great spot                continue investing in expansion and partnerships            (three-wheeler) service in Bagan and Mandalay
it that far north do yourself a favour and add at    to grab some late lunch of barbecued fish and                    to better the platform and expand the                       city, and Grab TaxiPlus service.
least a couple of them to your itinerary.            sneak in a cheeky paddle before heading back                     ecosystem.”                                                 More than 166 million people in 339 cities in
INDAWGYI LAKE                                        into Myitkyina.                                                  Grab launched its service in Myanmar in July                Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand,
You don’t have to be a devout wild swimmer to        Tubing at Washawng Resort                                        2017, and has since introduced Grab Taxi Call               Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
enjoy Myanmar’s largest natural lake – it’s an       Easily one of my favourite river swims in the                    service, Premium Rentals (Beat), and Grab                   have downloaded the Grab app on their mobile
essential Myanmar travel destination in its own      country, Washawng has a lot going for it: crystal                Food.                                                       phones. – Translated
right. You can rent kayaks and bamboo bicycles,      clear waters, a well-maintained site (there’s                    The company’s taxi service is popular and
visit hot springs, and sign up for a range of        barely any trash in the main resort), and shaded                 experiencing an increase of 10 percent in daily
different boating tours. While all of that comes     bamboo huts that are built into the river itself.                rides in 2019 from the previous year, and adding
heartily recommended, nothing beats heading for      Best of all, though, is the tubing. Rent a tube for              more than 196,000 more precise location points
the middle of the lake at sunset, and diving         K1,000 and march yourself past the bridge to a                   in the Grab application.
headfirst into those deep, deep waters.              bend in the river.                                               The number of businesses using Grab for
Myitsone                                                                                                              Business doubled in 2019, and the most popular              Source: Myanmar Times
About 90 minutes north of Mandalay, two rivers       Source: Frontier Myanmar                                         destinations for rides were Myanmar Plaza,                  https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-
that wind down from the Himalayas – the Mali         https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/wild-waters-                  Junction City, and Yangon Airport.                          aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-
Kha and the N’Mai Kha – converge to form one         kachin                                                           Grab will expand its services to other key cities           more-pain-ahead-first.html

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        23 February 2020
PwC   PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence                                                                                                                                                                                       15
Infrastructure                                               Other Infra
                                                                                                 Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

                  Delivery app starts service in Yangon                                                                   Grab says it pumped $100M into Myanmar in
                                                                                                                                           four years
                                            18 Feb 2020                                                                                                             12 Feb 2020

Foodpanda, a mobile food delivery service, will     “We have worked to change people’s view and                   Ride-sharing company Grab has invested over                 across the country this year, Toh said. GrabFood
now connect users to over 1,000 restaurants in      feeling about food delivery service,” said                    US$100 million (K143.5 billion) in Myanmar in               will be launched for local restaurants and
Yangon.                                             foodpanda Myanmar’s managing director Ko                      the past four years to strengthen its position on           transportation partners in Mandalay this year.
“Foodpanda is a platform which is easy to use. It   Zayar Min.                                                    the local taxi market, a senior company official            “Although food delivery is increasing locally, it
enables users to order foods easily, and get it     From 8:00 am to 10:00pm, customers can order                  said Tuesday.                                               still lags behind other countries. We have many
delivered to their door. Myanmar will be a vital    whatever food they fancy from foodpanda. –                    Cindy Toh, country manager for Grab, said the               opportunities,” said U Myat Kaung Min, head of
market for the company,” said foodpanda’s           Translated                                                    company will continue investing to further                  GrabFood Myanmar.
regional CEO for the Asia-Pacific region, Mr                                                                      improve the quality of its service in Myanmar.              Grab For Good will be launched in Myanmar
Jakob Sebastian Angele.                                                                                           “Grab will emphasise service quality and safety,            soon.
The food delivery service is already available in                                                                 not only technology,” she told a briefing. “We will         In 2018, Grab launched its Grab Thone Bane
12 countries throughout the world, and will                                                                       continue investing in expansion and partnerships            (three-wheeler) service in Bagan and Mandalay
connect users in Myanmar with popular                                                                             to better the platform and expand the                       city, and Grab TaxiPlus service.
restaurants throughout the city.                                                                                  ecosystem.”                                                 More than 166 million people in 339 cities in
The service includes access to international fast                                                                 Grab launched its service in Myanmar in July                Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand,
food brands like KFC, Pizza Hut, Marry Brown,                                                                     2017, and has since introduced Grab Taxi Call               Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
The Manhattan Fish Market; cafes like Gong                                                                        service, Premium Rentals (Beat), and Grab                   have downloaded the Grab app on their mobile
Cha, Amazon, Cheese O’Tea and Tom & Toms;                                                                         Food.                                                       phones. – Translated
as well as local favourites like YKKO, Tin Myint                                                                  The company’s taxi service is popular and
Myanmar, Yangon Tea House, Shan Yoe Yar,                                                                          experiencing an increase of 10 percent in daily
The Pansodan and Mr. Chef.                                                                                        rides in 2019 from the previous year, and adding
The foodpanda app allows customers to order                                                                       more than 196,000 more precise location points
food for any amount, delivered to the house or                                                                    in the Grab application.
office free of charge.                                                                                            The number of businesses using Grab for
People can order food from nearby restaurants,                                                                    Business doubled in 2019, and the most popular              Source: Myanmar Times
notifying the outlet of their location via          Source: Myanmar Times                                         destinations for rides were Myanmar Plaza,                  https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-
foodpanda’s website and the iOS or Andriod          https://www.mmtimes.com/news/delivery-app-                    Junction City, and Yangon Airport.                          aviation-sector-expected-become-profitable-
application.                                        starts-service-yangon.html                                    Grab will expand its services to other key cities           more-pain-ahead-first.html

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    23 February 2020
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Infrastructure                                                 Other Infra
                                                                                                    Financial and Business    Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

      Three foreign companies withdraw investments from                                                                      DaNa Facility Unveils Report on Kachin State’s SME
                         Thilawa SEZ                                                                                                             Ecosystem
                                             18 Feb 2020                                                                                                                18 Feb 2020

Three foreign companies have withdrawn their         security reasons, U Shwe Hein said.                             UK Aid-funded DaNa Facility and Cordaid                      Bhamo Young Entrepreneurs’ Association.
investment plans from the Thilawa Special            He added that aside from these three                            recently unveiled their study, “The Ecosystem for            Understanding the SME landscape in Kachin
Economic Zone (SEZ), according to U Aung             companies, it’s business as usual at Thilawa                    Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Kachin                 State has the potential to create economic
Htoo, deputy commerce minister.                      SEZ, with a steady momentum of investor                         State” at an event attended by Kachin State                  opportunities for people from poor communities
The minister was responding to questions on          enquiries coming in.                                            government officials, donors, humanitarian and               and for groups that commonly face social and
developments at the SEZ from U Khin Cho, a           Thilawa SEZ covers some 2500 hectares and is                    development practitioners, local enterprises and             economic disadvantages, such as women,
representative of Pyithu Hluttaw, at a parliament    divided into two zones. Over 100 companies                      other key stakeholders.                                      people with disabilities and people living in
session on February 14.                              have invested in it so far, with more than half of              “Understanding the private sector landscape in               conflict-affected regions.
As at December 2019, the government has              them being from Japan. Companies in the SEZ                     Kachin and the challenges SMEs face is                       The study also looked into SMEs’ accessibility to
permitted 115 companies from 19 countries to         include    those    involved     in  construction,              essential for creating new opportunities for                 financial services well as availability of raw
operate in Thilawa SEZ. However, three have          packaging, garments, food, agricultural products,               inclusive growth – growth that creates economic              materials and connection to local and foreign
withdrawn their investment plans, resulting in 112   transportation, automobile and accessory                        opportunities for poor communities and internally            markets.
companies having invested a total of US$1.9          production, pharmaceuticals and electrical                      displaced persons,” said Thomas Coward, team
billion in Thilawa so far, U Aung Htoo said.         products.                                                       leader of DFID Myanmar’s Inclusive and
The three companies which withdrew include two                                                                       Livelihoods team.
Japan/Myanmar joint ventures in chemical                                                                             The study aims to provide donors and the
products manufacturing and shoe production.                                                                          development       community      with  a    better
The third company is a Singapore data center,                                                                        understanding of the challenges faced by small
according to U Shwe Hein, Secretary of Thilawa                                                                       and medium-sized enterprises across Kachin,
SEZ Management Committee.                                                                                            with a particular emphasis on enterprises run by
He said that the two joint ventures were not able                                                                    internally displaced persons.
to raise sufficient capital to carry out their                                                                       “We are pleased to see this report includes the
investments in Thilawa, resulting in them pulling                                                                    SME landscape beyond Myitkyina, and I see this
out of the country. Meanwhile, the Singapore         Source: Myanmar Times                                           as a very inclusive and comprehensive report
company did not receive permission from the          https://www.mmtimes.com/news/three-foreign-                     that shows a possible roadmap to support SMEs                Source: Myanmar Business Today
authorities to operate, as foreign wholly-owned      companies-withdraw-investments-thilawa-                         in Kachin State, particularly in the agriculture             https://mmbiztoday.com/dana-facility-unveils-
data centers are not allowed due to national         sez.html                                                        sector,” said Kyaw Min Oo, president of the                  report-on-kachin-states-sme-ecosystem/

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        23 February 2020
PwC    PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence                                                                                                                                                                                      17
Policy and Regulation

                        23 February 2020
                                     18
Policy and Regulation
                                                                                                      Financial and Business   Infrastructure   Policy and Regulation   Tender Opportunities   MIC Permitted Projects   Upcoming Events

             e-Government system crucial for country’s                                                                         Myanmar aviation sector expected to become
                  development: State Counsellor                                                                                   profitable, but more pain ahead first
                                             20 Feb 2020                                                                                                                 27 Jan 2020

e-Government is a crucial element in linking the      countries have moving forward at a faster pace,                  Myanmar’s aviation industry is betting on a more            tourist attractions in the future,” U Kyaw Nyein.
government with stakeholders to better drive          and that we need faster development. It is                       profitable future with the number of airlines now           Air KBZ has also been expanding. Last year, it
economic development and poverty alleviation in       expected the e-Government could help in this                     reduced to half compared to 2017 and demand                 upgraded its fleet of planes and announced new
Myanmar, said State Counsellor Daw Aung San           movement,” she said.                                             for domestic air travel expected to catch up with           destinations to Dawei , Kaw Thaung , Myeik,
Suu Kyi.                                              The United Nations has established a benchmark                   supply. However, they will have to swallow more             Sittwe, Kyaingtong, Hkamti and Loikaw. its sister
“I want Myanmar people to understand and apply        to measure the development of a country in                       losses in the short term before things get better.          airline, Myanmar Airways International, added a
these technologies. Technologies should be            regard to e-Government system, based on the                      There are currently five airlines in Myanmar,               new Airbus A319 to its fleet, expanding its
modified into Myanmar versions gradually so that      three      indicators   –      online     services,              down from ten three years ago. But even though              capacity by 144 passengers.
even ordinary Myanmar people can become               telecommunications, infrastructural development                  there are fewer players now in the market, the              Tanes Kumar, commercial director for Air KBZ,
accustomed to modern technologies,” she said in       and human resource development.                                  volume of passengers flying domestic remains                said even though the new routes are not yet
her opening remark as Patron of the e-                “The implementation of e-Government is                           below three million, according to government                profitable, the main aim of adding new
Government Steering Committee, at the 4th e-          intended for many benefits, including easy and                   data.                                                       destinations is to expand the airline’s network
Government Conference & ICT Exhibition held at        smooth activities at government agencies,                         At those levels, demand is not sufficient to cover         and connectivity. “This gives passengers more
the MICC-2 in Nay Pyi Taw, on Tuesday.                effective functions, making right decisions, better              the industry’s losses, U Kyaw Nyein, CEO of                 options and allows employees to learn new skills
Despite Myanmar’s e-Government index jumping          services, appropriate responses to fulfill public                Golden Myanmar Airlines (GMA), told The                     for more expansion in the future,” he said.
12 places from 169th place in 2016 to 157th in        needs and socioeconomic development of the                       Myanmar Times in a recent interview.
2018 out of 193 countries worldwide, it still ranks   people,” said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.                              But profitability is possible in the years ahead,
under the average of ASEAN member nations,                                                                             making it a good time for the remaining airlines to         Source: Myanmar Times
she said.                                                                                                              accelerate their plans for expansion to capitalise
                                                                                                                                                                                   https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanma
Last October, Myanmar government made a                                                                                on future demand, according to a 2019 report by
                                                                                                                                                                                   r-aviation-sector-expected-become-
nationwide effort to migrate from using Zawgyi                                                                         the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.
font to the international-standard Unicode font.                                                                        Last year, GMA took delivery of a new aircraft,            profitable-more-pain-ahead-first.html
“Although Myanmar has experienced a certain                                                                            taking its current fleet of ATR-72s to three. “With
degree of increases in some sectors such as           Source: Myanmar Times                                            the additional seats, we can now fly daily
education, the country has not overtaken other        https://www.mmtimes.com/news/e-government-                       compared to alternate days before. We will also
ASEAN countries. Instead, a slight decrease has       system-crucial-countrys-development-state-                       extend our destinations to include more flights to
been noticed. It showed that our neighbouring         counsellor.html                                                  Dawei and Kaw Thaung, which could be potential

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         23 February 2020
PwC   PwC Myanmar Weekly Business Intelligence                                                                                                                                                                                        19
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