The Kyaukpyu Special Economic Zone will be shaped into a green and modern port, said Union Min­ister U Aung Naing Oo.

The Union Minister at Un­ion Government Office 1 who is also Chairman of Myanmar Special Economic Zone Central Working Body said during the meeting with the media in Nay Pyi Taw on 26 December.

He also pledged that the activities will be carried out strictly in accordance with My­anmar’s environmental protec­tion laws and best international practices.

Starting from 2022, not only the initial geo-topographic sur­vey (PGTS) and environmen­tal and social impact assess­ment (ESIA) for the deepsea port project were carried out, but the world-renowned Can­ada-based project management company HATCH was appoint­ed as a project consultant, with its help, the contractors were selected and also managed the project area.

As the initial geo-topo­graphic survey work (PGTS) has already been completed, the relevant geo-topographic technical reports will lay a solid foundation for the subsequent design and construction of the project.

An Environmental and So­cial Impact Assessment (ESIA) is intended to analyze and as­sess the potential environmen­tal impacts of a project’s future construction and operation, and to develop measures to prevent or mitigate adverse impacts.

The project company has also appointed an Environmen­tal and Social Impact Assess­ment (ESIA) consulting firm with local experience and inter­national perspectives through international open tendering in strict compliance with My­anmar’s existing laws.

Since April 2022, the Envi­ronmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) consulting company has conducted a series of analysis and public participa­tion activities to understand the basic environmental conditions surrounding the deep seaport project, and recorded the con­cerns of local residents regarding environmental protection issues, he continued.

Currently, the Environmen­tal and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) has also completed the scoping phase of the project, so the Scoping Report has been ap­proved by the Myanmar Ministry of Natural Resources and Envi­ronment.

In developing the Kyaukpyu deep seaport project, it will be implemented based on three basic principles of promotion of interests of people, wealth and environmental protection -PPP(People, Prosperity, Planet). While the project activities are actively being carried out, both Myanmar and China are paying special attention to improving the lives of Kyaukpyu residents.

Therefore, more than 10 so­cial benefit projects such as rural fund project in Kyaukpyu region, vocational skills training, mobile clinic project and mangrove plan­tation projects have been consist­ently carried out, and thousands of local residents have benefited from these projects.

In the future construction and operational stages of the pro­ject, the local and foreign social benefit partner organizations will be invited to work together in the business, health, education, envi­ronmental protection efforts and creation of employment opportu­nities that people need.

The project company con­tributes US dollars 1,000,000 every year for the first five years of the project construction phase and $500,000 annually to the op­erational level and strive for CSR and social welfare activities.

“In order to meet the needs of local people in carrying out socially beneficial CSR activities, we will invite the balanced partici­pation of the local community and carefully listen to the opinions and suggestions of the locals,” he continued.

Mr Liang Chuanxin, Director of Kyaukpyu Special Economic Zone Deep Seaport Company Limited, said, ‘‘We aim to create more positive impacts to con­serve the natural environment and reduce the negative impacts. Therefore, we appointed an En­vironmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) consulting firm with local experience and in­ternational perspectives through international open tendering in strict compliance with Myan­mar’s existing laws.”

In assessing the environ­ment and social impacts, the solid foundation will be laid to ensure the greening of environment and sustainable development goals, he added.—Hein Min Soe/KTZH