RANGOON — While preparing to come to power in 2016, Burma’s main opposition party the National League for Democracy (NLD) must also gird itself for the substantial challenges of completing three special economic zones (SEZ)—Thilawa in Rangoon Division, Dawei in Tenasserim Division and Kyaukphyu in Arakan State.
Maung Maung Soe, a former professor of economics, warned that the incoming NLD-headed government will not be able to avoid SEZ developments because plans for them are already taking shape, though many of the individual projects have yet to be put into action.
“These are huge responsibilities that the new government will have to handle. Every SEZ is a different situation that will have to be handled carefully,” he said. “Burma’s new government will have to be transparent, and it will also have to know how these different zones can bring benefits to the country.”
At a meeting with incumbent President Thein Sein on Monday, the chairmen of the various SEZ development committees—Hset Aung for Thilawa, Han Sein for Dawei and Myint Thein for Kyaukphyu—discussed the status of their respective zones.
According to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar, Vice President Nyan Tun said that of the three SEZs, Thilawa had been the most successful to dat. Its first phase includes the development of residential and commercial areas over some 1,000 acres of land. (Courtesy of Irrawaddy)
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