The speech (draft) on one-year State responsibilities discharged by the State Administration Council delivered by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing
-From Previous day
In discussion with the ASEAN alternate chairman, we focused on the five-point consensus agreed by the ASEAN summit, and discussed the very first point—initiating dialogue after those getting involved in violence have stopped their acts of terrorism. We also discussed differences between ethnic armed groups and terrorists, our constant efforts to achieve peace, inviting of them to talks to participate in the internal peace process and matters related to ASEAN’s provision of humanitarian aid.
Good results were produced from the Cambodian Prime Minister’s working visit to Myanmar on 7 and 8 January 2022, and joint statements were issued.
Moreover, in discussing with the ASEAN alternate chairman through video conferencing on 26 January, we discussed Myanmar’s participation in ASEAN, the need for ASEAN countries to have positive cooperation, Myanmar’s best efforts to cooperate, sending of the ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar and arrangements for the special envoy of the UN Secretary General to come to Myanmar. The government will cooperate with the international community as earnestly as possible without harming the country’s sovereignty, national economy and government’s future work plans.
As for implementation of the economic objectives, emphasis has been placed on agriculture and livestock breeding, which is fundamental to the State and the economy of the majority of the people in order to enhance production based on agriculture and livestock through modern techniques and strengthen allround development in other sectors of the economy. In Myanmar 70 percent of the population are rural people doing business relying on agriculture and livestock. In livestock breeding sector, we will be encouraging the raising of chickens, pigs, goats, cows and fish suitable for most regions. To reduce import of dairy products, measures are being taken to breed dairy cows in the regions with favourable climate and soil conditions to ensure sufficiency in dairy products as well as surpluses. Moreover, by breeding meat cow, pigs and chickens, we are trying to ensure domestic food sufficiency and export.
When it comes to rural development efforts, the Senior General said: “Myanmar has about 55 million people, over 70 percent of whom are living in rural areas. About 30.2 percent are living below the poverty line. Greatly-affected are rural regions. This is why the government is constantly trying to reduce the gap between the urban and rural areas by seeking effective means to reduce the poverty of the rural people.
For rural development, we are implementing the emerald green project in the regions and states, digging lakes and tapping underground water sources for rural drinking water supply, upgrading the roads in 80 percent of the rural villages into all-weather ones under the rural development strategy-2030, implementing rural community based development projects for the livelihoods of the rural people and building rural manufacturing roads, bridges and rural homes.”
With the aim of improving the socio-economy of rural people and ensuring them they use socio-economic infrastructures and services by developing rural infrastructures and improving rural livelihoods, the Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Areas was established on 17 June 2021.
Likewise, to ensure effective service for the public in the administrative system, we will establish more districts in the regions and states which now have 75 districts.
Regarding the objective: to develop a stable market economy and promote international investment in order to enhance the economic development of the entire national people, we have proposed 17 economic tasks to be implemented at a time when Cambodia takes ASEAN chairmanship in 2022. It will be kept as a living document.
Cambodia will also propose priorities over financial sector.
In addition, 138 tasks under the category of the ASEAN Economic Community-2025 will be implemented in 2022.
With the aim of promoting bilateral cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and Myanmar, 33 agreements and MoUs were signed during the Chinese President in 2020.
Coordination will be sought to continue to implement and facilitate the projects related to the 33 agreements. As for Myanmar-Japan cooperation, projects were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But, measures are being taken to resume the projects soon and ensure Japanese citizens renter Myanmar conveniently.
Aid and loans focus on the development of agricultural, livestock, education, health and human resource development in Myanmar. In Myanmar-Russian cooperation, the first meeting between Myanmar and Russian entrepreneurs was virtually held with the aim of promoting bilateral trade and investment. Moreover, preparations are being made for more business meetings.
Other measures were also taken to promote and support local businesses to create employment opportunities and increase domestic production.
The government is encouraging domestic manufacturing sector and local products-based economy. Particularly, production of essential goods such as foodstuffs, beverages, consumer products, cement, iron and steel is being encouraged.
From 1 February to November 2021, 27 rounds of investments were allowed in 12 business sectors in line with the Investment Law. Foreign investment totalled US$-3,552.396 million (3.55 billion). Myanmar citizen investments have also been approved with Ks-332,966.380 million (332.96 billion) by 37 businesses in 12 sectors.
Regarding implementation of the social objective and flourish of the Union Spirit that is a genuine patriotism, the government will grandly hold the 75th Anniversary of Union Day which falls on February 12, 2022 to promote the process of flourishing the Union Spirit and ensuring peace.
Admiring and respecting traditions of all national races, the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs has been formed to uphold national cultural characters and safeguard the rights of national races. Myanmar is a country of combined diversities of culture and located between the two countries having high standards of culture. Therefore, the government and every citizen have duties to uphold our traditional heritage and arts. So, plans have been made to resume the 23rd Myanmar traditional performing arts competition in October this year. It is also aimed to hold such competitions yearly to uphold the culture practiced by tradition.
Regarding improvement of national health and education, every country accepts that human resources are the main point for sustainable development of a country. Human resources are established based on education. That is why education investment is mainly made. According to the statistics on intercept survey of the census in 2019, it is seen that there are nearly 18.2 million of 25-year-old and above people of the population who have learnt middle school education and below, which means about one third of the population is weak in education.
To be continued