UNION Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations Dr Kan Zaw, who is also the ASEAN Economic Minister of Myanmar, and delegations attended the ASEAN and Dialogue Partners Economic Ministers’ Meetings, which were held back-to-back with the 56th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM) in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
The Union minister attended the 20th AEM-EU Trade Commissioner Consultation on the morning of 16 September 2024. At the meeting, Ministers reviewed the activities of the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) and its recommendations and discussed the progress of ASEAN-EU Economic Cooperation Programmes and the implementation of the ASEAN-EU Trade and Investment Work Programme 2024- 2025. Then, the Union minister joined the 13th AEM-Russia Consultation, where views were exchanged on potential collaboration to strengthen ASEAN-Russia economic relations under the ASEAN-Russia Trade and Investment Work Programme for 2021-2025. In addition, the meeting noted the progress of the implementation of the ASEAN-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) economic relations.
In the afternoon, the Union minister participated in the AEM Troika Open-Ended Dialogue with Switzerland’s Trade Minister. During the meeting, Ministers adopted the Joint Declaration on Economic Cooperation between ASEAN and the Member States of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). They discussed the possible economic cooperation between ASEAN and Switzerland. Afterwards, the Union minister attended the Fourth AEM-UK Consultation. At the Meeting, Ministers noted the progress of the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP) 2023-2024. They exchanged views on how ASEAN and the UK can leverage the Programme to further strengthen the economy under the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme from 2024 to 2028.
The Union minister joined the 8th AEM-Hong Kong (China) Consultation on the morning of 20 September 2024 and discussed the progress of the Work Programme of the ASEAN-Hong Kong Investment Agreement and the review of the ASEAN-Hong Kong Economic Work Programme. Then, the Union minister attended the AEM-United States Trade Representative (USTR) Consultation. At the meeting, Ministers discussed the implementation of the 2023-2024 ASEAN-US Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) and Expanded Economic Engagement (E3) Work Plan and endorsed the 2024-2025 ASEAN-US TIFA and E3 Work Plan.
In the afternoon, the Union minister attended the 13th AEM-Canada Consultation. Ministers exchanged views and provided guidance on the recommendation of the business mission of the Canada-ASEAN Business Council to ASEAN Countries for promotion of trade and investment between ASEAN and Canada, the implementation of the 2021-2025 Work Plan to Implement the ASEAN-Canada Joint Declaration on Trade and Investment (JDTI), the status of capacity building projects under the Expert Deployment Mechanism for Trade and Development (EDM) and the progress of the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Afterwards, the Union minister participated in the 21st AEM-India Consultation, and Ministers noted the recommendations submitted by the ASEAN-India Business Council (AIBC) and exchanged views on the progress of the ASEAN- India Trade in Goods Agreement review negotiations.
On 21 September, the Union minister participated in the meeting with ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand Economic Ministers at the 29th AEM-CER Consultation. Ministers discussed and provided guidance on the preparations for the forthcoming entry-into-force (EIF) of the Second Protocol to Amend the ASEAN-Australia, New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA), the implementation progress of the AANZFTA Implementation Support Programme of the Economic Cooperation Work Programme and the outcomes of the 2024 ASEAN-CER Integration Partnership Forum (IPF) held on 29 May 2024 in Auckland, New Zealand. Then, the Union minister attended the 30th ASEAN-METI (Japan) Consultation. At the meeting, Ministers discussed the implementation of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP) Agreement, ASEAN-Japan collaboration initiatives, including Future Design and Action Plan of Innovative and Sustainable ASEAN-Japan Economic Co-Creation 2023-2033 and the recommendations of the Federation of Japanese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN (FJCCIA).
In the afternoon, the Union minister joined the Economic Ministers of ASEAN, Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Russia, and the US at the 12th East Asia Summit (EAS) Economic Ministers’ Meeting and exchanged views on mitigating the impact of regional and global economic uncertainty through collaboration among EAS Countries.
The Union minister participated in the 23rd AEM-MOFCOM (China) Consultation on the morning of 22 September 2024. At the meeting, Ministers discussed and provided guidance on the progress of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) 3.0, the Work Programme on Further Deepening ASEAN-China Trade and Economic Cooperation, and the progress of the implementation of the ASEAN-China Initiative on Enhancing Cooperation on E-Commerce. Afterwards, the Union minister joined the 21st AEM-ROK (Republic of Korea) Consultation, and Ministers discussed the report on the upgrade of the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) and the progress report on ASEAN-Korea economic cooperation.
In the afternoon, the Union minister attended the 27th AEM-Plus Three (China, Korea, Japan) Consultation. At the meeting, Ministers noted issues and recommendations raised by the East Asia Business Council (EABC), the progress of implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three Economic Cooperation Work Programme 2023-2024 and the progress of the ASEAN Plus Three Industrial Chain & Supply Chain Partnering Conference, and endorsed the ASEAN Plus Three Economic Cooperation Work Programme 2025-2026. Then, the Union minister participated in the 3rd Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministers’ Meeting, and Ministers exchanged the experiences of the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and discussed the establishment of the RCEP Unit at the ASEAN Secretariat.
Mr Malaithong Kommasith, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Lao PDR, chaired the Meetings, which were attended by Economic Ministers of ASEAN, Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong (China), Canada, Russia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, EU Trade Commission Representative, the members of business councils, the Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat and representatives. The meetings were joined by U Aung Ko, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Dr Marlar Myo Nyunt, Myanmar SEOM Lead and Director-General of the Foreign Economic Relations Department, and responsible persons together with the Union minister.
During the meeting, the Union minister met Mr Vladimir Ilichev, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, on 19 September and Mr Piyush Goyal, Minister for Commerce and Industry, on 21 September, and discussed promoting bilateral economic relations between Myanmar and Russia as well as Myanmar and India, respectively.
The Myanmar delegation led by Dr Kan Zaw, Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, arrived back from Vientiane, Lao PDR, on the evening of 23 September 2024 after attending the 56th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Meeting and Related Meetings.
The Union minister and delegation were welcomed at the Yangon International Airport by the director-general and officials from the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration. — MIFER
