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Myanmar Strives for IT Development

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Myanmar Strives for IT Development By Duan Tingchang

Xinhua, Rangoon 18 April 2001. Myanmar has been striving for
the development of information and communications technology,
working out strategies and policies to meet the challenges arising
in this knowledge age and take part in the global competition.

The Myanmar government is giving encouragement and incentive
to investment in the field, especially in education and human resources
development for the information technology (IT).

In order to create a favorable environment to facilitate cooperation
with other countries, the government synchronized its IT principles
and codes, enacted necessary laws and standardized criteria.

The government encourages the private sector's participation not
only with the legal enforcement but also with the supporting for
institutional development, organizing various seminars and workshops
on IT development in collaboration with domestic and international
private sector institutions.

So far, Myanmar has made some progress in the IT development.
The state-run Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) is
providing data services in the country's two major cities of Yangon and
Mandalay with a packet switching system.

The MPT said that there are over 2,500 e-mail users in the country
and it is preparing to introduce fiber optics long distance systems for
high bandwidth requirement in the near future. The country is also
speeding up digitization of auto-telephone switches.

Meanwhile, the Myanmar Education Ministry has been setting up
multi-media class rooms in schools and universities, and has
successfully introduced nationwide electronic data broadcasting
via satellite.

In cooperation with fellow members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Myanmar joined in signing
the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement at the 4th ASEAN Informal
Summit in November 2000, pledging to implement the e-ASEAN
initiative to  strive for providing access to the country's 50 million
people having a tele-density of 0.53 per 100 people.

On the crucial role of the IT, the country believes that IT offers
the cost effective and far better efficient business transaction in
accelerating economic growth, promoting development, eliminating
poverty and promoting the economic integration into the global market.

But Myanmar warned that IT revolution also poses challenges and
risks as it breaks down information barriers and country borders while
it opens all societies to the fierce global competition, challenging the
developing countries to build technological capacity and exploit the
opportunities offered by the IT revolution. It is also possible that
certain types of crime are made easier.

The country also stressed the need for eliminating the widening
disparities between the developed and developing countries, while
the rich are moving into the better quality services of IT.

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<html>
<font size=3>Myanmar Strives for IT Development By Duan Tingchang <br>
<br>
Xinhua, Rangoon 18 April 2001. Myanmar has been striving for <br>
the development of information and communications technology,<br>
working out strategies and policies to meet the challenges arising <br>
in this knowledge age and take part in the global competition. <br>
<br>
The Myanmar government is giving encouragement and incentive <br>
to investment in the field, especially in education and human resources
<br>
development for the information technology (IT). <br>
<br>
In order to create a favorable environment to facilitate cooperation
<br>
with other countries, the government synchronized its IT principles 
<br>
and codes, enacted necessary laws and standardized criteria. <br>
<br>
The government encourages the private sector's participation not <br>
only with the legal enforcement but also with the supporting for <br>
institutional development, organizing various seminars and workshops
<br>
on IT development in collaboration with domestic and international <br>
private sector institutions. <br>
<br>
So far, Myanmar has made some progress in the IT development. <br>
The state-run Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) is <br>
providing data services in the country's two major cities of Yangon
and<br>
Mandalay with a packet switching system. <br>
<br>
The MPT said that there are over 2,500 e-mail users in the country <br>
and it is preparing to introduce fiber optics long distance systems for
<br>
high bandwidth requirement in the near future. The country is also<br>
speeding up digitization of auto-telephone switches. <br>
<br>
Meanwhile, the Myanmar Education Ministry has been setting up <br>
multi-media class rooms in schools and universities, and has <br>
successfully introduced nationwide electronic data broadcasting <br>
via satellite.&nbsp; <br>
<br>
In cooperation with fellow members of the Association of <br>
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Myanmar joined in signing <br>
the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement at the 4th ASEAN Informal <br>
Summit in November 2000, pledging to implement the e-ASEAN <br>
initiative to&nbsp; strive for providing access to the country's 50
million<br>
people having a tele-density of 0.53 per 100 people. <br>
<br>
On the crucial role of the IT, the country believes that IT offers <br>
the cost effective and far better efficient business transaction in 
<br>
accelerating economic growth, promoting development, eliminating <br>
poverty and promoting the economic integration into the global
market.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br>
<br>
But Myanmar warned that IT revolution also poses challenges and <br>
risks as it breaks down information barriers and country borders while
<br>
it opens all societies to the fierce global competition, challenging
the<br>
developing countries to build technological capacity and exploit the
<br>
opportunities offered by the IT revolution. It is also possible that
<br>
certain types of crime are made easier. <br>
<br>
The country also stressed the need for eliminating the widening <br>
disparities between the developed and developing countries, while <br>
the rich are moving into the better quality services of IT. <br>
</font></html>

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