17 November

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi addressed the 4th Myanmar Entrepreneurship Summit 2019 organized by the Myanmar Young Entrepreneurs Association (MYEA) held at the Fortune Plaza, Thakayta Township, Yangon yesterday morning.

First, a video about award winning young entrepreneurs of MYEA was screened. MYEA youths then entertained by singing the MYEA Theme Song and performed dances.

In her opening address at the event, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said the event was the 4th Myanmar Entrepreneurship Summit and recalled attending the past three events every year. This was to show her faith in the capability of youths and to encourage them.

During the event last year in Nay Pyi Taw, she recalled about youths cooperating and participating in the process of making the country secure and economically strong. She had urged that this should be done based on developing technology in addition to retaining traditional values and practices. Youths had more innovative thoughts, creativity and physical strength than senior citizens. The past values were not to be forgotten. She urged that the good and best of traditions, cultures and practices were to be maintained.

She said that during the period when the incumbent government took up the responsibility of governance, the aim was to set up an economic policy that would create a new generation of youths with all round capability.

It was important for youth who would become the future leaders of the country to become more and more outstanding in overcoming challenges. Youth leaders must place emphasis on cooperation. Nowadays all want to be leaders. This has been said repeatedly.

If all wanted to lead who would be followers? All need to cooperate and march forward hand in hand. This was more important than wanting to be a leader.

This was why the youth affairs policy was established in November 2017 where the aims include youth development programs to be included in the country’s policy and strategic plans and to enable the emergence of youths who can connect and be on par internationally.

Our government had full faith in the power of the country’s youth. From the government side all round support from setting up policy to actual implementation were being provided. Works were done to ease the works of SMEs while efforts were made to smoothen and ease the entire business sector.

That was why Myanmar was the top 20 progressing countries in World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index for 2020. Furthermore, when the present government took over in 2016 Myanmar was ranked 160 in ease of starting a business and that had risen significantly to the present rank of 70. Among ASEAN countries, Myanmar ranked fourth in ease of starting a business. But Myanmar still had much to do.

The country not only had economic policy set by the State but also had drawn up the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) for reforming political, economic, social and natural environment according to sustainable development programs established by the United Nations. This national plan was now being implemented not only by the public and private sector but also in cooperation with international organizations providing development assistance.

Looking at the day’s event held with the theme “Entrepreneurship 4.0 – Adapting Businesses for the 21st Century,” the aim was preparing for 21st century challenges faced by the entire business sector including the new generation youths. Discussion programs include a special and beneficial program of sharing experiences of not only successful international entrepreneurs but also the successful local entrepreneurs.

It was a great honor that at the ASEAN Leaders Summit and ASEAN Business & Investment Summit 2019 held in Bangkok, Thailand, Myanmar youths achieved ASEAN Business Award 2019 for Digitalized MSME award and Startup & Innovation Driver Entrepreneur Winner award. Efforts must be made toward achieving these awards as well as other awards in the coming years. Actually the best prize will be development of Myanmar and achieving sustainable peace. It was important not to lose sight of these.

In the day’s event, Young Startup Award, Young Entrepreneurs Award, Social Enterprise Award, Inclusive Business Award and Technopreneurship Award will be presented by MYEA. The awards were to encourage youths to do more in their current works. The youths who achieved these awards are honored in advance.

Here, encouragement is made to those who did not achieve the awards. Awards are recognition of achieving a success. All have a chance to achieve success in life. But think what success in life is. Success is not over others. Success is succeeding over self. All need to know their weaknesses and place special emphasis towards achieving success over those weaknesses.

The government had full confidence in the capability and future of young entrepreneurs and had set a strong political commitment to support them.

It was cooperating to set up policies and work processes together with ASEAN countries towards preparing for the forthcoming Industrial 4.0.

It was already mentioned that the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) that would develop the entire socio-economic condition of the country has been drawn up and implemented.

Systematic plans and arrangements were made to ease not only in starting business but to ease the entire business environment.

Young entrepreneurs are urged to actively cooperate and participate in the process of stabilizing and developing the country. U Sett Aung was jokingly asked about percentage of women participation. In the first year event, it was 49 percent. Second year was above 50 percent and was wondering whether it was now approaching 60 percent. This was a bit worrying for the men. Development and progress need to be the same. Women can give a hand. Lending a hand differs from leading from the front. There would be more strength if they walked hand in hand. Friends going together hand in hand differ from one leading and another following. Youths, be they men or women need to move forward hand in hand in a balanced manner.

The State Counsellor said present and future challenges were to be used as opportunity and urged to work hand in hand with the government for the country’s development and become a force for the country.

After her speech, the State Counsellor took a commemorative group photo with attendees and inspected the exhibits displayed.

Next, she met and encouraged youths from MYEA in the guest hall. Afterwards the Summit continued with explanation on a policy between government and young entrepreneurs that should be set up, Ambassadors and successful local business persons sharing experiences, explanation of the country’s economic policy and entrepreneurship policy, connecting Myanmar young entrepreneurs and local business persons with foreign investors and customers and honoring of successful young entrepreneurs.

Exhibits of the 4th Myanmar Entrepreneurship Summit Award winners, SMEs, partner and sister associations were also displayed at the event.

Present at the ceremony were Union Ministers U Kyaw Tint Swe, U Min Thu, U Win Khaing, Dr Than Myint, Dr Myint Htwe, U Thaung Tun and U Kyaw Tin, State/Region Chief Ministers U Phyo Min Thein, U Hla Moe Aung and U Win Thein, Deputy Minister U Aung Hla Tun, State/Region ministers, Hluttaw representatives, Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) officials, foreign Ambassadors and diplomats, business partner organizations, MYEA officials and members, local and international experts, business persons from States/Regions and invited guests.— MNA (Translated by Zaw Min)