Nay Pyi Taw, 7-8-2019

        A discussion ceremony concerning with the 4th Report of Myanmar Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative - MEITI (2016-2017) was held in the meeting hall of the commission office at 09:30, on 7-8-2019. Chairman of the Commission, Secretary and Commissioners, Officials from commission office, Myanmar EITI Coordination Office, and relevant Union government departments/ organizations, representatives from the private sector, representatives from civil society organizations, a total of (50) people attended.

        In the discussion, Chairman of the Commission gave an opening speech, and the global sustainable development goal, as mentioned in Agenda 2030, a society’s social, long-term development of economic depends on the ability to manage the natural resources that belong to us in a sustainable way. If the democratic administration system is firmly applied, the natural resources will emerge as the true essence of the national property belonging to the entire country. The Commission appreciates MEITI’s business objectives. Every year, MEITI has pointed out that there is a wide gap between the implementation of the provisions mentioned in law, rules and regulations, procedure and orders and the actual implementation. He said that such gaps may be due to the limited capacity of the institutions or the lack of proper control of corruption. Only if the officials can take it seriously, they will be able to find a real solution for the public interest.

        After that, processes and a summary of the 4th report were given by U Tun Pao Oo, technical expert from the Myanmar EITI Coordination Office. U Than Htay Aung, expert from Myanmar’s oil and gas industry, explained regarding the oil and natural gas sector.  U Min Thu, General Manager of Myanmar Gems Trading Industry, presented regarding the gems and jade sector. U Kyaw Thet, Deputy Director General of the Department of Mines, discussed about the mineral sector.  U Tin Win Ko, Deputy General Manager of Myanmar Pearl Production and Trading Industry, explained with statistics in relation to the pearl sector.

        Regarding the Myanmar Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (MEITI) processes, the representatives of the Myanmar EITI tripartite coalition, Daw Mu Mu Saw, Director of the Internal Revenue Department, U Zaw Bo, vice chairman of the Burmese Gems Industry Association, U Win Tin, Head of Contractual & Commercial Support from Total E&P Myanmar, U Win Myo Thu, Executive Director of Green Motherland Development Association, and U Soe Win, EITI Coordinator of Myanmar, held a supplementary discussion, and the officials answered and explained on the questions of the attendees.

        The MEITI process was launched and implemented in December, 2012, however, the EITI Candidate Country status was reached in July, 2014, and Myanmar’s fourth EITI report (2016-2017) was released on 31-3-2019.