Joint Seminar Makes Dutch-Myanmar Cooperation Tangible

June 10, 2014

The Netherlands and Myanmar are making good progress in cooperation in the field of water management, Dutch minister Schultz van Haegen of Infrastructure and the Environment said during her visit to Myanmar.

Dutch minister Schultz van Haegen and Myanmar’s Vice President U Nyan Tunthe, attended the seminar Developing Myanmar Waters Sustainably: from Vision to Implementation that was held in Nay Pyi Taw on 4 June.

As part of the bilateral cooperation a Dutch consortium revealed the first plans for sustainable water projects in Myanmar.

Feasible business

Schultz’s visit to Myanmar is the second in a short time. Late 2012 the country has – after decades of reticence – expressed interest in cooperation with the Netherlands in the management of its water problems. For that reason, the minister first visited Myanmar in May 2013 and signed a cooperation agreement between both countries.

Schultz van Haegen underlined the importance of feasible business: “We have developed valuable experience in public-private partnerships, giving contractors more responsibility for the design, financing, construction or maintenance of a specific project.”

Master plan for flood protection and water supply

The current, second visit was marked by the implementation of that agreement. Both countries are working on a joint master plan for flood protection along the rivers, for hydropower, for water transport (making rivers navigable and construction of ports), and for water supply for agriculture, industry and communities.

A consortium of Royal HaskoningDHV, Arcadis, Rebel Group, UNESCO-IHE, Waterschap De Dommel and Tygron (commissioned by the Dutch government) presented the first results.

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Press Release, June 10, 2014