3rd Annual Aid & Development Summit begins in Nay Pyi Taw

3rd Annual Aid & Development Summit begins in Nay Pyi Taw
3rd annual Aid & Development Asia Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on 14 June, 2017. Photo: AIDF

The 3rd annual Aid & Development Asia Summit began yesterday in Nay Pyi Taw’s Myanmar Convention Center 2. The two-day conference brings together foreign and international NGOs, representatives from the United Nations and the Union of Myanmar government, along with regional leaders, private investors and think-tank members.
Members of the conference contend with several development issues facing Myanmar today, like how can Myanmar foster development that is equitable and inclusive of all of Myanmar’s socioeconomic groups in the long-term.
Participants at the conference expect to gain important and useful insights from this forum. “Today, at the event, many organizations are sharing information and technology, so we can learn a lot that we can apply back to our organization,” said Mr. Nay Lwin from Pact Global Microfinance Fund. 
The organizers, Action Aid, claim that “in the context of Myanmar, development, peace and stability go hand-in-hand,” according to a press release. Outside its hosting duties, Action Aid studies regional disparities in Myanmar’s development, with a focus on inequality
The organization suggests that a “one size fits all” approach to Myanmar’s development will not work. Instead, regional differences in human resource and economic development must be considered in sustainable development, Action Aid argues.
The speakers include a representative from the Union government, a representative from local government, a UN representative, academics and policy makers, and representatives for women’s rights and the private sector.
“We aim to share information about the programs from each organization and discuss what organizations must provide each other. In this way, we can achieve what we aim for,” said the guest speaker Daw Aye Kyawt Swe, agricultural technical advisor and project coordinator for Mercy Corps.