OFFICIALS from the Peace Commission and two ministries discussed holding a coordination meeting with Kayin National Union representatives for the implementation of Bawkahta hydropower project at the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

Peace Commission’s Secretary Lt-Gen Khin Zaw Oo (Rtd), advisory board member U Hla Maung Shwe and U Moe Zaw Oo, the Ministry of Electricity and Energy’s Permanent Secretary U Than Zaw, the Ministry of the State Counsellor Office’s Director-General U Zaw Htay, MoEE Directors-General U Hein Htet, Daw Mi Mi Khaing and officials attended the meeting.

State Counsellor Office’s Director-General U Zaw Htay reported on the KNU’s proposals and conditions relating to the Bawkahta hydropower project.

Ministry of Electricity and Energy’s Permanent Secretary U Than Zaw, Directors-General U Hein Htet and Daw Mi Mi Khaing discussed matters relating to the implementation of Bowkahta hydropower project, government’s policies on the implementation of hydropower projects, and plans for the performance of hydropower projects for peace.

Peace Commission’s Secretary Lt-Gen Khin Zaw Oo (Rtd), advisory board member U Hla Maung Shwe and U Moe Zaw Oo detailed about the peace processes.

The meeting also discussed the KNU’s proposals for Bawkahta hydropower project and holding a coordination meeting with KNU representatives for the implementation of the Bawkahta hydropower project. The hydropower project is located in Kyauk Kyi Township, Bago Region.

MNA

PHOTO: MNA

(Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)

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THE Ministry of Construction, in cooperation with Yangon Region government, Mandalay Region government, Nay Pyi Taw Council and private businesspersons, will implement a 10,000-unit public rental housing project under COVID-19 Economics Relief Plan.

The Public Rental Housing Construction Steering Committee held an online meeting on the project yesterday.

The Committee’s Chairman Union Minister for Construction U Han Zaw, Secretary Deputy Minister Dr Kyaw Lin, Permanent Secretary U Shwe Lay, Department of Urban and Housing Development Director-General U Min Htein and officials, Ministry of Planning, Finance and Industry’s Deputy Minister U Sett Aung, Nay Pyi Taw Council member U Tin Tun, Yangon Region Electricity, Industry, Road and Communications Minister Daw Nilar Kyaw, Mandalay Region Electricity, Energy and Construction Minister U Zarni Aung, and chairpersons of three businesspersons associations participated in the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, the Union Minister said that Public Rental Housing Construction Steering Committee had been formed to implement the works on construction budget, signing contracts, pre-engineering works, and structure designs in the short term.

The purpose of the 12-month project is to provide job opportunities and accommodations for the public under the CERP.

Three private associations will bear the costs of the project, which will be then paid from the excess budget (2019-2020FY) of the Ministry of Construction. The ministry was allowed to use the excess budget K130 billion of 2019-2020FY for the project.

Secretary of the Committee and Deputy Minister for Construction Dr Kyaw Lin briefed about the construction project.

Deputy Minister for Planning, Finance and Industry U Sett Aung discussed the matters relating to contract rules for the project and payment of the funds in time.

Yangon Region minister Daw Nilar Kyaw, Mandalay Region minister U Zarni Aung, Nay Pyi Taw Council member U Tin Tun, Chairman of the Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association U Shein Win, Myanmar Licenced Contractors Association Chairman U Kyaw Win and Myanmar Urban and Infrastructure Development Entrepreneurs Association Chairman U Weik made discussion about the project.

The meeting was concluded after the remarks of Deputy Minister Dr Kyaw Lin.

—MNA

Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun

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THE 5th Asia Pacific Summit of Mayors organized by the Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Tobacco Control and NCDs Prevention (APCAT) was hosted by Nepal online yesterday.

Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman Mayor Dr Myo Aung participated in the virtual meeting from his office in Nay Pyi Taw.

Speaking at the meeting, the mayor discussed matters related to the implementation in Nay Pyi Taw to be smoke-free, smoking behaviours among adults and youths, health risks of smoking, and the needs of smoking control activities.

He said that the city has formed a task force on the control of smoking and tobacco use in 2019-2020, and made a public announcement on the rules for smoking and tobacco products control.

Coordination meetings with township-level officials were organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Sports. Meetings with cigarette and tobacco producers were also held, and awareness posters about the health effects of smoking and tobacco use were set up citywide, he added.

He said the city would speed up the works on control of cigarette smoking and tobacco use and prevention of communicable diseases in the years to come.

Officials from the World Health Organization, ministers and mayors from the Asia-Pacific nations, and invited guests joined the meeting online.

— MNA

Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun

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THE Ministry of Ethnic Affairs convened the third coordination online meeting on drafting a strategy for the rights of Myanmar nationals yesterday.

At the opening ceremony of the meeting, Union Minister Nai Thet Lwin explained the works of ministry for the rights of national people, including development projects in ethnic areas, conducting environmental impact analysis, socio-economic development programmes, excursion tours to promote friendly relationship among national people, the publication of child storybooks in ethnic languages and appointment of teaching assistant and language teachers.

The ministry is also organizing festivals of ethnic affairs and traditions in coordination with public and private sectors and drafting rules for the protection of ethnic rights.

 The strategy for rights of Myanmar nationals will be based on fundamental ethnic affairs and surveys conducted in 2018-2019 financial year.

The Union Minister added the strategy should meet the policy and objectives of the government that is working for the establishment of a Democratic Federal Union, national reconciliation and eternal peace.

Equal citizen rights for all national people, their constitutional rights, provisions to protect their rights and ensuring consistency to the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan will be enshrined in the strategy.

Director-General U Min Aye Ko from the Department of Ethnic Rights reported on the yearly implementation for the drafting the strategy; Director Naw Ei Ei Min from the Point-Promotion of Indigenous and Nature Together presented cooperation of their organization in drafting the strategy; Deputy Director Daw Thinzar Naing explained the six titles in the third draft of the strategy.

The online coordination meeting was continued, and it was participated by 145 representatives of ethnic races from regions and states.

—MNA

Translated by Aung Khin

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THE National Skill Standards Authority began the 10th batch of Assessor Methodology Online Training yesterday morning.

Union Minister for Labour, Immigration and Population U Thein Swe, in his capacity as Chairperson of Central Body for Employment and Skill Development, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the training via videoconferencing.

Mining and Engineering Occupational Skill Standards Committee, Agricultural Occupational Skill Standards Committee and Business and Service Skill Standards Committee selected the trainees for the Assessor Methodology Online Training (10th Batch), said the Union Minister.

Assessor Methodology Training was launched online in accordance with New Normal situations. Since May 2020, the training has been provided for 23 jobs.

The NSSA has been in operation for seven years, according to the Union Minister, who expressed thanks to all the stakeholders for their cooperation and for making the NSSA successful to some extent.

The Union Minister said that the NSSA aims to develop skills for a large workforce in Myanmar in order for the workers to get decent jobs.

He said that the NSSA is making efforts to promote mutual recognition of skills within ASEAN nations, and it is also cooperating with Thailand’s Ministry of Labour.

At present, there are more than 22 million workers in Myanmar, but the NSSA could award national-level occupational skill certificates to only 16,519 skilled workers for 30 occupations, said the Union Minister.

In the 2020-2021 financial year, 3,000 workers were expected to receive skill assessments, but the target was not reached because of the limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. So, assessment methods that are compatible with New Normal situations will be used.

The Union Minister pointed out that it is necessary to provide high-quality training for workers to acquire 21st-century skills in a timely manner.

The opening ceremony of the online training was participated by 71 people including officials from NSSA, 13 committees on occupational skill standards, the Skill Assessment and Accreditation Committee, the Federation of Myanmar Engineering Societies and GIZ, and trainees.

—MNA

Translated by Maung Maung Swe

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U THAUNG TUN, Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations virtually met yesterday with heads of mission from EU member states headed by Mr Ranieri Sabatucci, Ambassador of the European Union to Myanmar. They exchanged views on the recently signed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and implications for Myanmar-Europe relations.

Describing the RCEP as an “unprecedented mega-regional trading arrangement comprised of a diverse mix of developed, developing, and least-developed economies throughout the region”, the Minister provided an in-depth briefing on the RCEP to those on the call. In doing so, the Minister outlined several of the benefits expected to flow to Myanmar as a result of signing the RCEP and stated that the Agreement has laid a foundation for deeper cooperation among member countries going forward.

The Minister also noted how newly harmonized Rules of Origin would help European businesses present in Myanmar and the region by allowing companies to ship their products across the region more efficiently while avoiding different Rule of Origin criteria at each step in the manufacturing process in each country crossed.

While highlighting how the RCEP is expected to hasten the shift in global economic activity toward Asia already underway, the Minister also noted that it would be important for the region to continue to welcome Europe’s voice.

“…it is important that the region continues to welcome Europe’s voice. And I believe the region welcomes this voice – and is in agreement that both Europe and RCEP members stand to benefit when regional cooperation remains open and rules-based.”

In light of Myanmar’s recent commitments to reduce the country’s carbon emissions, both the Minister and Ambassador Sabatucci were in firm agreement regarding new opportunities for growth made possible via the new European Green Deal, with views exchanged on emerging opportunities for more transparent, responsible investment in wind, hydro, and solar energy projects amongst others.

Ambassador Sabatucci restated the EU’s willingness to deepen partnerships in areas including good governance, human resources development, environmental conservation, and climate change mitigation in addition to continued support for expanding trade and investment ties.

The Minister went on to answer questions fielded by Mr Christian Lechervy, Ambassador of France to Myanmar, Mr Thomas Neisinger, Ambassador of Germany to Myanmar, Ms Alessandra Schiavo, the Ambassador of Italy to Myanmar, Ms Beatriz Lorenzo, the Chargé d’Affairs, Embassy of Spain, and Ms Frida Zaric, the Minister Counsellor, Embassy of Sweden.

The Minister closed the event expressing an eagerness to continuing to engage with the European Union “…as a development partner, as a source of responsible investment, and as a committed friend.”

—MNA

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UNION Minister for Border Affairs Lt-Gen Ye Aung presided over a coordination meeting yesterday on implementation of border area development projects by the tender winning companies for the 2020-2021 financial year.

The meeting was participated by the project supervising officers from regions and states via videoconferencing.

The Union Minister explained that business contracts were signed with tender winning companies in the third week of October after inviting tenders in the second week of that month in line with the rules issued by the Office of President.

The tender winning companies have completed 25 to 30 per cent of their works in the projects.

The projects were prioritized in line with the directives of the government, its guarantees and pledges at the Hluttaw, reports of region/ state governments, demands of local people and fundamental development projects for the respective areas based on budget allocation.

The Union Minister added that the ministry also selected the project in line with its four polices, seven goals, plans, three pillars of Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan and five objectives.

He also discussed the implementation of the projects in line with the 7 goals and 10 strategies of COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan, narrowing development gaps between regions and states, and socio-economic development of ethnic people.

The Director-General from the Department of Development for Border Areas and National Races reported on the progress in the implementation of projects.

The Ministry of Border Affairs is implementing 548 projects in 2020-2021 financial year for border area development with K65.258 billion budget.

MNA

Translated by Aung Khin

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MYANMAR Embassy in Seoul organized a relief flight of MAI in bringing back 94 citizens whose contracts under the Employment Permit System have expired in the Republic of Korea.

They arrived at Yangon International Airport yesterday evening.

Moreover, another MAI relief flight of the Myanmar Embassy in Seoul and the Myanmar Seafarers’ Employment Services Federation flew from Incheon International Airport with 139 Myanmar seamen, and it also landed in Yangon in the same evening.

The Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population, the Ministry of Health and Sports and the Yangon Region government arranged the 7-day quarantine at specific places or designated hotels, followed by the 7-day home quarantine.

To bring back the Myanmar citizens who are stranded in foreign countries by relief flights and chartered flights in accordance with the instructions from National-Level Central Committee on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cooperated with the relevant ministries, Myanmar embassies from respective countries and shipping companies.

—MNA

Translated by Aung Khin

Photo MNA

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THE Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement organized a virtual meeting yesterday to discuss issues related to cooperation in the Community-based COVID-19 Prevention and Control Special Project via videoconferencing.

During the meeting, Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Win Myat Aye (Secretary of National Volunteer Steering Unit) said that at present, COVID-19 response strategies are being changed as needed in accordance with circumstances. He added that as community-based COVID-19 response efforts, it is important to develop more effective ways to control the disease.

He said that the meeting also aims to help Nay Pyi Taw Council Area authorities and regional governments in COVID-19 response efforts.

Regarding changing strategies, the Ministry of Health and Sports is coordinating with the Yangon Region government to carry out community-based COVID-19 prevention and control programmes.

He said Myanmar has many volunteers, including experts, people who have received training of Trainers programme and multiplier course for volunteer, and ambulance drivers. He continued that those volunteers need to be effectively integrated into community-based COVID-19 response efforts.

The Union Minister also pointed out that the citizens also need to have a clear understanding of the changing strategies of COVID-19 response efforts. He also called on all the stakeholders to work together for the success of the community-based COVID-19 control process.

The Deputy Minister, the Permanent Secretary, Directors-General, regional ministers for social affairs, officials from the Ministry of Health and Sports and the General Administration Department, Directors from regional Department of Social Welfare, officials from Myanmar Medical Association, members of Myanmar Youth Affairs Committee and Myanmar Red Cross Society participated in the discussions.

In his closing speech, the Union Minister said that he believes that the Community-based COVID-19 Control Special Project will be successful in States and Regions because of collaborative efforts.

MNA

(Translated by Maung Maung Swe)

Photo: MNA

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UNION Minister for Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi chaired a coordination meeting online with teacher unions, teacher associations and common teachers to draft the National Education Strategic Plan(2021-2030) at his office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

 At the meeting, the Union Minister highlighted the critical role of coordination in the improvement of education quality and called for collaboration of all the teachers in unity.

The Union Minister discussed the changing trend of education together with the industry in studying the Leapfrogging to Education 4.0: Student at the Core, the page 19 of FICCI-EY Knowledge Paper and the page 12 of OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030: OECD Learning Compass 2030.

He also explained the evolutions of Industry 1.0 and Education 1.0 with no education criteria, no specific curriculum and limited infrastructure; Industry 2.0 and Education 2.0 with full-time teachers, specific curriculum and classrooms, the emergence of universities, dormitories and recreation centres; Industry 3.0 and Education 3.0 with online learning, research cooperation, investment in technology and infrastructure; the Industry 4.0 with the Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, the Cloud Computing, big data and robotics technologies.

The Union Minister referred to the Learning Generation Report 2017 for the changing trends in community, economy and technology and the requirement of an education system which can encounter the challenging situations in the 21st century.

He also pointed out the need for innovative learning, capacity, view and technologies for future employment opportunities, as well as the new professionals of the current age. He also suggested the coordination of business sector, the establishment of the school-industry partnership, management reform at the universities, human resources, award presenting, conducting capacity-building programmes continuously and financial assistance.

Permanent Secretary Dr Zaw Myint explained the drafting processes of National Education Strategic Plan(2021- 2030), Director-General U Ko Lay Win from the Department of Basic Education introduced the basic education sector in Chapter 5 of the NESP and Director- General Dr Sai Kyaw Naing Oo reported on the Technical and Vocational Education Sector in Chapter 6 of the NESP.

MNA

(Translated by Aung Khin)

Photo: MNA

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