ESM Goh meets Thein Sein

Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong and Myanmar President Thein Sein discussed the challenges facing Myanmar's political and economic reforms during a meeting in Naypyitaw yesterday.

Mr Goh encouraged Mr Thein Sein to invest in Myanmar's youth and education and advocated the importance of developing the tourism, finance and services sectors as an engine for wealth creation, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Mr Thein Sein expressed appreciation for Singapore's technical assistance to Myanmar, in particular its commitment to establish the Singapore-Myanmar Vocational Training Institute in Yangon.

Both leaders raised the revival of the Singapore-Myanmar Joint Ministerial Working Committee (JMWC), which will serve as a platform to promote economic cooperation and forge new business opportunities between the two countries.

The JMWC was established in 1995.

The revived committee will focus on collaboration in three areas of mutual interest: trade and investment, finance and legal sectors.

Mr Goh also met Union Minister for Finance Win Shein and Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) governor Kyaw Kyaw Maung yesterday.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore and CBM announced their intention to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding on capacity-building and banking supervision as part of Singapore's commitment to deepen financial cooperation with Myanmar.

Mr Goh's visit to Myanmar, which began on Monday, concludes today.

He will also meet other officials and leaders, including Union Parliament Speaker Thura Shwe Mann, commander-in-chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and National League for Democracy chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi, the statement said.

This article was first published on Feb 04, 2015.
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