Myanmar Monitor


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Foreign and Internal Affairs

Myanmar talks result in partial agreement of federal state principles
(30 May 2017) The Myanmar government, along with representatives from the military and eight armed ethnic groups met for the second meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference between May 24 to 29. They reached agreements on various matters of contention, including the basic principles for establishing a democratic federal system that would give the groups greater autonomy which included 37 points, from language and education to cultural preservation and the economy. However, the representatives remained at odds on whether to permit secession from the federal system and how to treat forces controlled by the armed groups. Those matters will be taken up at the next meeting, to be held in six months. The eight ethnic groups represented currently have a ceasefire agreement with the government.
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Myanmar and Vietnam hold political consultations
(31 May 2017) The Foreign Ministries of Vietnam and Myanmar held their seventh political consultation in the capital of Myanmar. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Dinh Quy while the Myanmar delegation was headed by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kyaw Tin. The two sides agreed to reinforce the exchange of all-level delegations and citizens and effectively implement cooperation mechanisms, especially through the organisation of a meeting of the bilateral cooperation committee in 2017. At the same time, the two sides will expand their collaboration in such areas as national defence, security, trade and investment. The Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister also paid a courtesy visit to Myanmar’s State Counsellor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Aung San Suu Kyi.
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Economy, Investment and Trade

Myanmar’s PMI continues to indicate growth
(1 June 2017) Myanmar’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell by 0.9 to 52.0 in May. However, since a reading above 50 indicates economic expansion, while a reading below 50 points toward contraction the latest figures still indicate a fifth consecutive month of growth. According to IHS Markit, the organisation which compiles the survey, the continued expansion is supported by strong expansions in output and new orders while operating conditions in the sector improved further.
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Mobile companies push out high speed connections to drive smartphone usage
(31 May 2017) Myanmar’s largest mobile carrier has increased wireless speeds to 4G in three cities in the country, Naypyitaw, Yangon and Mandalay, to increase smartphone usage. Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications began this service after the government allocated frequency spectrums in the 1800 megahertz band, optimized for high-speed connection, to four mobile phone carriers, which included Qatar-based Ooredoo, Norway’s Telenor and Myanmar National Tele and Communications, a joint venture led by the Vietnamese mobile carrier Viettel Group.
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