ข่าวเศรษฐกิจและธุรกิจประจำสัปดาห์

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  Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd and Kokubu Group did the joint venture partner with KOSPA Limited to widen its service scope to other categories of logistics solutions Express Delivery and cross border deliveries

  Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. and Kokubu Group today welcomed SF Holding Co., Ltd., a technology-led international logistics service provider based in China, as a joint venture partner in KOSPA Limited, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, according to a press release. SF Holding will acquire a 25 per cent stake in KOSPA for a consideration of US $ 4 million in newly issued shares, primarily to fund the expansion of KOSPA 's current fleet and its warehouse capacity. KOSPA offers warehousing and third-party logistics services in Myanmar including cold chain solutions, inventory management and transportation. For The newly formed partnership will build on KOSPA's Capabilities as one of Myanmar's Leading integrated Logistics service providers and aims to widen its service scope to other categories of Logistics solutions Express Delivery and cross-border deliveries. KOSPA intends to leverage SF Holding's technological expertise to strengthen its service offering.
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  Rakhine State Investment Fair 2019 attracted the total 30 proposals worth USD $ 5 billion from both local and foreign investors

  A total of 30 agreements worth US$5 billion were signed at the Rakhine State Investment Fair 2019, with the state’s hotels and tourism sector topping the list of both local and foreign investors. “Local and foreign investors have submitted proposals to invest in Rakhine State as they see the State’s prospects. Thirty agreements were signed at the fair. Of them, 27 are Expressions of Interest, two are project proposals, one is a B-to-B MoU. The proposals are valued at $5.249 billion,” said Dr. Htoo Min Thein, the Secretary of the Rakhine State Investment Committee. The hotels and tourism sector has topped in the list of investments, followed by agriculture, energy, livestock and fishery, production, construction, human resource development, and other sectors. “Investors in the hotels and tourism sector focused on areas around Manaung, Ngapali beach, and Gwa beach. They have also shown interest in the livestock and fishery sector in northern and southern areas in Rakhine State. Fish and prawn units are expected to enter there,” said Dr. Htoo Min Thein.
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  Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) gave the approval for establishment of South Korean- Myanmar Industrial Complex (KMIC) in Hlegu township

  The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) has approved the setting up of a South Korean - Myanmar Industrial Complex (KMIC). During a meeting on February 20, the MIC gave its go-ahead for the complex to be established as a joint venture. The development and operations of the first phase of the complex, which will be run by the Korea - Myanmar Industrial Complex Development Co Ltd, will be on land in Hlegu Township, Yangon Region. Phase one of the project is expected to utilise 127 hectares out of 224 hectares allocated for the complex. KMIC will run as a 60/40 partnership between South Korea’s Land and Housing Cooperation and Myanmar’s Department of Urban Housing and Development under the Ministry of Construction.
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  Most of the international companies are demanding to amend the terms of the Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) which can benefit for more oil and gas profit and attract more investments

  Prospects in the Myanmar oil and gas sector are expected to improve this year, with the government planning to hold its first international exploration and production tender since 2015 next month. On February 22, the Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE) announced that it will be holding international tenders for 18 onshore and 15 offshore blocks in Rakhine State this year. The tenders have been scheduled at a time when domestic demand for oil and gas far outweighs production levels. Currently, Myanmar is only producing around 50 million cubic feet of natural gas per day and around 6000 barrels of oil per day, according to U Than Tun (Oil), a former official of Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE). At that level, Myanmar is producing just around 10 percent of the oil it imports and that is driving up costs for basic necessities such as electricity in the country, said U Than Tun, who was a director and advisor to the MOGE for 35 years.
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  Government will set up Myanmar Productivity Centre this year to improve SME management and technology and increase productivity in SME sectors

  In a bid to boost the productivity of Myanmar’s small and medium enterprises, the government will set up the Myanmar Productivity Center this year, said U Ko Ko Lwin, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry. He made the remarks at a roundtable to implement the plan for the Myanmar Productivity Center at the Novotel Hotel on 23 February. “This move aims to boost trade. The SMEs constitute 95 per cent of the country’s business. The center will help improve SME management and technology, and increase productivity,” said U Ko Ko Lwin. The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry-UMFCCI and the Japan Productivity Center had carried out a pilot project to increase SME productivity in January, 2016. The pilot project was backed by the Japan ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF). During the project’s term, 50 enterprises under the Ministry of Industry witnessed a 40-per-cent growth in productivity after undergoing SME technology and management training programs. “We will share essential productivity and management skills with SMEs. We will adopt unused technology through the JAIF to enhance productivity in the SME sector,” said U Aung Kyi Soe, the secretary-general of the UMFCCI.
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  Union Minister U Win Khaing stressed the application of modern techniques for increasing more oil and gas output

  Union Minister for Electricity and Energy U Win Khaing visited Phugyi Pipeline base camp of Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) in Hmawby Township, Yangon Region on 23 February. Located near Phugyi Village in the township, the base camp serves as the transit centre for piping oil from Mann oilfield and Htaukshabin oilfield in Minbu Township, Magway Region, to Thanlyin oil refinery in Yangon Region and for the maintenance of pipelines. But now, its main function is to repair and maintain the natural gas pipelines of lower Myanmar. Under its supervision are the Shwepyitha camp (Yangon), Dedaye camp, Thanatpin camp, Mawlamyine camp, Tanbyuzayat camp and Yay camp responsible for the repair and maintenance of 981 miles of pipeline including the 331-mile 20-inch Lankakanpauk-Myainggalay-Yangon pipeline, and the 86-mile 24-inch Daw Nyein-Ywama pipeline.
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  Rakhine State Chief Minister promised to approve investments in Rakhine State after prompt scrutiny

  Chief Minister Nyi Pu has promised to approve investments to be made in Rakhine State after prompt scrutiny during the Rakhine State Investment Fair. "For investment we will receive proposals. In this regard, we will also approve them as quickly as possible after quick scrutiny," said the state chief minister. Particularly, Singapore, Korea, China and India are eyeing Rakhine State for investments. Among them, Singapore has made the largest investment there. "Of those countries which have so far invested in our state, Singapore is the largest investor," said Nyi Pu.
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  Analysts expected trade sanctions by European Union (EU) and United State (US) unlikely to revoke Myanmar’s traffic-free access to their markets over the coming quarters

  Analysts are not expecting the European Union or the US to revoke Myanmar’s tariff-free access to their markets over the coming quarters. Following a United Nations report implicating the Tatmadaw in human rights abuses against ethnic minorities in the states of Rakhine, Kachin and Shan in September last year, the EU announced a month later that it was considering trade sanctions against Myanmar. If imposed, the sanctions would potentially revoke Myanmar’s tariff-free access to the EU. According to a February 22 report by Fitch Solutions Macro Research, those trade sanctions are unlikely because they would significantly weaken the economy and likely undermine Myanmar’s civilian government. “The human rights abuses at issue have been attributed to the Tatmadaw and Western policymakers have long expressed concern that imposing blanket trade sanctions would primarily harm ordinary citizens, weaken support for civilian leaders and push Myanmar firmly into China’s sphere of influence,” the report said.
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  Business people are interested to invest in Mrauk-U and Thandwe airport upgrading projects in Rakhine State

  Mrauk-U Airport and Thandwe Airport in Rakhine State will be upgraded while a lot of prospective businesspeople have come to enquire about the project, said Rakhine State Minister for Finance, Revenue, Planning and Economy Kyaw Aye Thein during a press conference held on February 22 after the closing of Rakhine State Investment Fair. "They are interested in the Mrauk-U and Thandwe airport projects at a union level. A lot of entrepreneurs are coming to us. They are included the project bank. We are announcing the projects we have," said the minister. According to the investment fair, another lucrative business is tourism in addition to marine, agricultural and livestock businesses.
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  Malaysian company planned to invest in building an acacia mangium furniture factory in Bago region

  Malaysian company is planning to invest in building an acacia mangium furniture factory in Myanmar's Bago region, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday. The unidentified Malaysian company projects will buy 3,000 tons of raw material of acacia mangium per year from the Myanmar Acacia Mangium Production Association and a feasibility study is being made to find out if enough raw materials can be supplied from across the country's plantations, according to the report. To make finished products with acacia mangium, Myanmar needs to have a supply of 15,000 acres (6,075 hectares) of acacia mangium per year, said U Myo Ko Ko Thein, chairman of the association. According to him, there are over 30,000 acres of acacia mangium plantations in Myanmar.