24 August 2018

        High level discussion and planning board meeting of Regional Project on Promoting a Fair Business Environment in ASEAN was attended by Daw Myat Myat So, member of Myanmar Anti-Corruption Commission and two parties; Daw Khaing Khaing Aung, Director General of the Union Auditor General's Office and U Sein Tun Lin, Deputy Director General of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

        Daw Khaing Khaing Nwe, Secretary General of the Federation of Myanmar Chamber of Commerce and Industry was also attended as private sector representatives invited by the UNDP office in Myanmar.

        As a commemoration of Launching the ASEAN regional project "Promoting a Fair Business Environment in ASEAN", a high-level meeting was attended by total of (90) representatives, including the governments from officials, public and private sector representatives and civil society organizations, development partners from ASEAN region and UNDP representatives.

        ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC) Regional partners such as ASEAN (SR Network and OECD), Southeast Asia Program, UNODC, UN Global Compact, TI (Transparency International), World Bank Global partners such as OGP (Open Government Partnership) were also attended, so we had the opportunity to learn about their experiences and exchange views.

        Promotiong a Fair Business Environment in ASEAN Regional Planning Board Meeting was attended by Ms Valerie Cliff, UNDP Asia and Pacific Regional Director, Mr. Jonathan Tunner, UK Government South East Asia Regional Economic Director along with UNDP Asia and Pacific Regional Officers, 6 ASEAN countries as board members supported by the UK government are as representatives: Indonesia, Malaysia Myanmar, Philippines Thailand and Vietnam.

        The ASEAN Regional Project is a project under the UK Foreign and Common wealth Office's Southeast Asia Prosperity Fund program aimed at promoting economic reforms and development in the region. The main objective is to encourage the development of business ethics in the ASEAN region through policy dialogues between national governments and the private sector to facilitate business activities. In terms of country assistance, support governments to ensure and strengthen transparency in public procurement and construction for Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. Technical assistance is to provide for anti-corruption measures and remedial mechanisms in Myanmar and Vietnam.

        By attending the high-level discussion and regional planning board meeting, representatives from government departments and private sector could exchange views on the direction of ease of doing business in the ASEAN region and gained the benefits of knowing the experiences of global partners. The Anti-Corruption Commission is the organization that is mainly responsible for the implementation of the project according to the regional project plan by coordinating with the Union Attorney General's Office, Office of the Auditor General of the Union, the Directorate of Investments and Companies Administration and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.