Yangon - More than 900 delegates from 55 countries will convene in Nay Pyi Taw next week when the 22nd World Economic Forum on East Asia takes place in Myanmar for the first time.
The meeting from June 5-7 will bring together government officials, business leaders, civil society representatives and academics, to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Myanmar and East Asia today.
Sushant Palakurthi Rao, senior director and head of Asia at the World Economic Forum, said the event would help ensure that development in Myanmar translates into “inclusive growth”, as the country continues on a path of “bold economic and political reform”.
"Through frank discussions with our community of leaders we are committed to underlining the importance of key social and economic development challenges such as creating jobs, improving education, ensuring better healthcare and enhancing connectivity,” he said.
"When senior leaders from governments, businesses and civil society come together, they can leverage their collective creative and strategic capital to address the most pressing economic and societal challenges in new ways."
He argued that tackling "severe income disparity" is a key challenge for Myanmar, which the event will address.
"Years of isolation from the global economy have exacerbated this risk in Myanmar, which is one of the poorest countries in the region with roughly 37 per cent of its population unemployed and about 26 per cent living in poverty," he said.
"At the same time, expected GDP growth is estimated at six per cent for 2013. With a population of 60 million and a median age of 29 years, Myanmar has tremendous economic potential, but this will hinge on rapidly improving infrastructure, the quality of education and access to quality healthcare."
Mr Sushant added that Asean integration would be another major theme of the conference.
"We cannot underestimate the enormity of building consensus among ten countries which are so economically, politically, culturally and linguistically diverse as in Asean," he said. "The region has a strong record of success and strong rationale to continue the drive toward the AEC.
"Differences of opinion on certain issues will inevitably exist, but Asean can be encouraged by what has been achieved to date in order to continue with their ambitions moving forward."
Myanmar’s President Thein Sein will inaugurate the event. Speaking in America earlier this month, he described the past two years as a time of transformation in Myanmar.
“We must move towards an economy that is equitable, that is fair and based on a level playing field, that develops our abundant natural wealth but in a way that protects our natural environment,” he said. “Asia is changing fast and a part of the world that was once a by-word for war and poverty is now entering perhaps its greatest period ever of peace and prosperity.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong will be the most senior government official representing Thailand at the event.
Sushant Palakurthi Rao, head of Asia at the World Economic Forum, said the event would help ensure that development in Myanmar translates into “inclusive growth”, as the country continues with “bold economic and political reforms”. (World Economic Forum photo)