The Ministry of Construction organized the National Urban Policy Forum for final consultation at the Myanmar International Convention Center-II in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.
The event was attended by Chairman of Constitutional Tribunal of the Union, Chairman of Union Election Commission, Union Ministers, Union Attorney-General, Chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, Committee Chairs of Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw, Deputy Ministers, State/Region government ministers, Mayors of Yangon and Mandalay, Vice Mayors, Hluttaw representatives, departmental heads, Korean Ambassador to Myanmar, officials from UN-Habitat and partner organizations, representatives from local and international organizations.
In his opening remark, Union Minister for Construction U Han Zaw talked about insufficiencies of infrastructure in global countries resulted from rural to urban migrations, random settlements unsystematic urbanization plans and natural disasters.
He added Myanmar also has many challenges, like other countries, in handling urban management, public services, living and safety of people amidst tremendous changes in various situations, and that the country needs to develop urban laws for sustainable development of urban areas and a strong link between urban and rural and city to city. According to survey on Myanmar urban development, the number of urban population 15.4 million (30 per cent of the country’s population) in 2014 is expected to reach 20 million by 2030. Another research has also shown that Myanmar cities with over 0.2 million of residences would see double number of population by 2030. The country also needs to invest US$7 billion annually in urban development plan as a total of $146 billion is required for 20 years. Myanmar is also implementing smart city projects in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay, while the Union-level projects Korea-Myanmar Industrial Complex Project, New Mandalay Resort City and Smart District Project are being developed under smart development programmes.
The National Urban Policy Forum focused on implementation of prioritized sector in urban policy in line with the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP), township administration and financing, enactment of urban law, land management, real estates, urbanization, environment and climate changes, regional development programmes, infrastructure and public services, and socioeconomic development.
Korea Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Lee Sang-hwa and Regional Director of UN-Habitat Mr Atsushi Koresawa extended greetings before ‘The Future of Asian & Pacific Cities’ video was shown. UN-Habitat Myanmar’s Country Programme Manager Mr Bijiay Karmacharya briefed on national urban policy, followed by the show of ‘The New Urban Agenda’.
During the forum, consultations were made on the four prioritized areas in National Urban Policy, strategies for Smart City plan, draft National Urban Law and creating city profile of Kalaw.
The forum was aimed to adopt national urban policies which could implement the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) and the Sustainable Development Goals.—MNA (Translated by Aung Khin)
