Myanmar morning news for January 21, 2019

Maritime trade totals $6.26 bln in Q1
The value of Myanmar’s maritime trade in the first quarter of the current fiscal year was estimated at US$6.26 billion, an increase of $177 million compared with the corresponding period of the 2017-2018 Fiscal Year, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.
— Global Newlight of Myanmar

Hope for Rohingya: Asean foreign ministers put China, Myanmar on notice
A gathering of Asean foreign ministers in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, on Friday signalled that the bloc is no longer prepared to ignore the actions of member states if it damages the image of the collective with external partners, at the same time putting China on notice over the South China Sea.
— AEC News Today

Myanmar opens up insurance sector for foreign players
Myanmar is all set to open up its insurance sector. Up to three foreign life insurance companies, that will be allowed to operate under a 100 per cent investment scheme, will receive a provisional licence by the end of March 2019 and they will likely start operations by July, said Thant Sin, director general of the financial regulatory department under the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
— DealStreetAsia

China-Myanmar economic cooperation zone to be developed along border area
A first ever China-Myanmar Border Economic Cooperation Zone will be developed along the Kunlong-Chinshwehaw border area in Shan state, the official Global New Light of Myanmar quoted a developer as reporting on Sunday.
— Global Times

Trade with Bangladesh declines 66% in first two months of 2018-19 FY
Myanmar-Bangladesh trade totalled US$14.352 million in the first two months of fiscal year 2018-2019, registering a decline of $28.5 million, or 66.5 per cent, as against the corresponding period last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce’s monthly report.
— Global Newlight of Myanmar

Myanmar receives 3.55 million tourists last year
Around 129 million tourists visited ASEAN in 2018 – a 7.6% growth from the year before, according to a statement by Asean Tourism Federation.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar plans smart city in Thilawa SEZ
The Thilawa Special Economic Zone Management Committee said it plans to invite foreign developers to set up a smart city in the Thilawa SEZ.
— Global Newlight of Myanmar

MOEE to drill for natural gas in Magwe
A test oil well will be drilled in Myaing township, Magwe Region to determine the presence of oil or gas, U Nyan Tun, deputy managing director from Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) , said during the Ministry of Energy and Electricity’s (MOEE) month press conference yesterday.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar: Year in review 2018
Although Myanmar’s economy has grown above the regional average in 2018, a fall in overseas investment, crop losses and a weakening of the kyat have combined to slow the pace of that economic growth. However, moves to open up sectors of the economy to foreign ownership may boost inward investment in the coming year.
— The Borneo Post

Rohingya crisis experts: Moral diplomacy to mount pressure on Myanmar
Moral diplomacy, with a moral consciousness, can be a potentially effective approach to the conflict, experts said.
— Dhaka Tribune

UN chief disappointed at lack of progress in Myanmar’s refugee crisis
United Nations, Jan 19 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed frustration over the lack of progress in Myanmar’s refugee crisis.
— Newkerala

2018 December saw the highest inflation rate
The average inflation rate in December 2018 was 6.86 per cent, a slight increase compared with 6.66 per cent in November, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Inflation Rate by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO).
— Eleven Myanmar

Int’l book fair debuts in Myanmar’s Yangon
The Big Bad Wolf Sale, an international book fair, has debuted in Myanmar’s Yangon with over one million English books from international distributors put on display, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Friday.
— Brinkwire

Gov’t instructs Tatmadaw to carry out effective counter-insurgency operation: Spokesperson
The government has instructed the army (Tatmadaw) to carry out effective counter-insurgency operation against the AA insurgent group which threatens the life and property of people and undermines peace and tranquility, said Zaw Htay, Director-General of the Ministry of State Counsellor’s Office, at an informal talk with the press corps at the Presidential Residence in Nay Py I Taw, on January 19.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar opens first emergency medical services training center in Nay Pyi Taw
Myanmar has opened its first ever emergency medical services (EMS) training center in Nay Pyi Taw in order to produce emergency responders for accident victims, Myanmar News Agency reported Friday.
— Brinkwire

Myanmar army ordered to take offensive against Arakan Army
Myanmar’s military announced on Friday that the Arakan Army, a Buddhist rebel group in Rakhine state, has been classified a terrorist organisation after mounting a flurry of recent attacks.
— Borneo Bulletin

Disputed clauses removed from traditional medicine law
Clauses deemed controversial by advocates have been removed from the Myanmar Traditional Medicine Council Law after a presidential intervention.
— Myanmar Times

6 Myanmar cops hurt in Rakhine
Six Myanmar border guard police have been wounded in an attack by Rohingya Muslim insurgents in Rakhine state, government media reported on Saturday, amid fears of escalating violence in the region.
— The Daily Star

UN to Myanmar: Allow aid in conflict zones
Calling on the Myanmar government to “immediately reverse its decision not to allow access to all humanitarian organizations,” the United Nations (UN) expert on human rights in the South-East Asian country said that “it’s vital that assistance is able to reach those who have fled violence in the region.”
— Manila Times

Children’s literature festival inaugurated in Myanmar
A Children’s Literature Festival was inaugurated in Myitkyina, Myanmar’s Kachin state on Sunday, aimed at nurturing children and instilling in them the love of reading, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Sunday.
— The Nation

Feature photo Asian Development Bank

This week’s Myanmar morning news photo features acknowledges International Day of Education, January 24.

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Myanmar morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Myanmar news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.