As the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) works to select the right candidates for the new government’s cabinet after winning another landslide election, it will be interesting to see how the new administration will tackle critical environmental issues. The party failed to include in its 2020 election manifesto commitments to work on key environmental […]
Myanmar’s New Government Needs to Address Failures on the Environment and Public Health Over the Past Five Years
December 15, 2020 by
Myanmar govt faces setbacks in enforcing compliance with EITI database
March 6, 2020 by
The government says it lacks the mechanisms to force companies to disclose ownership information through a public registry, which are part of recent measures to clean up corruption in the extractive industry. Myanmar’s Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) unit, a government body under the finance ministry, held a press conference on February 28 to address […]
Beneficial-owner database lauded despite some weaknesses
February 10, 2020 by
Owners of major businesses or their close relatives who hold prominent public positions have so far not declared themselves as such, according to a Myanmar Times review of a new government database on beneficial ownership. The Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) recently published on its website the beneficial-ownership database for the Extractive Industries […]
Myanmar’s draft oil and gas bill jeopardises next bidding round
October 18, 2019 by
Uncertainty and confusion over Myanmar’s proposed oil and gas law risk alienating existing investors and could undermine the next crucial bidding round, according to companies and experts in the sector. Time is running out for the Ministry of Electricity and Energy to launch the round by the end of the year, having initially planned to […]
EITI applied in forestry sector for the first time
July 31, 2019 by
Myanmar’s forestry sector was included in the Myanmar Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (MEITI) report for the first time this year. Myanmar is the second country to have its forestry sector included in the EITI. Guided by the belief that a country’s natural resources belong to its citizens, the EITI is the global standard for promoting […]
Shining a Light on Shady Business in Myanmar’s Extractive Industries
March 29, 2019 by
The global debate on the discloser of beneficial ownership, especially in the extractive industries, is scaling up. More access to information about who really benefits from the revenues is raising accountability and helping in the fight against corruption. Myanmar, an Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) candidate country, formed a Beneficial Ownership Taskforce in June to […]
Govt coffers held back by SOEs: EITI
February 7, 2019 by
A representative of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) said Myanmar’s government fails to understand the severity of how the so-called Other Accounts of state enterprises are holding back the country’s development. EITI will be organising a workshop on reforming state-owned enterprises (SOEs) engaging in this sector will be held mid-February, according to EITI trilateral […]
New data demystify Myanmar’s jade sector
August 3, 2018 by
Myanmar’s gemstone sector is opaque and unaccountable. In 2017, the country scored just 27 of a possible 100 points and ranked 83rd among 89 assessments in the Resource Governance Index. However, new data are helping observers to unpack this sector and inform eventual reform. In March 2018, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative’s (EITI) Myanmar office […]
Oil and gas responsible for half of Myanmar’s debt
July 3, 2018 by
While being the highest generator of revenue for the country, the oil and gas industry is also responsible for accepting half of the loans taken by the country, said Daw Moe Moe Tun, civil society representative of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) during the release of its report on Myanmar. “The contribution of revenue […]
National Mining Policy Needs Total ‘Rethink,’ Report Finds
March 15, 2018 by
CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Myanmar needs a new mineral resources policy and fresh laws developed through a transparent and consultative process if the mining sector is ever to be sustainable, the Myanmar Center for Responsible Business (MCRB) said at the launch of a sector-wide impact assessment (SWIA) report on March 8. The fourth SWIA based […]
