Digital Economy Development: DEDC holds coordination meeting (1/2023)

The Digital Economy Development Committee- DEDC held its 1st coordination meeting (1/2023) at the Ministry of Commerce on Friday.

In his opening address, Patron of the Committee Deputy Prime Minster and Union Minster for Transport and Communications Admiral Tin Aung San said that the digital economy of the state will develop by the effective use of digital technology in administration, infrastructure and trade, education by making a balanced transition to digital in various fields such as social, the country's digital economy and it will be able to connect to the Global Value Chain.

In order to achieve digital business processes, the government and the private sector must cooperate in harmonious way. Although the high-speed mobile internet in Myanmar can cover 90% of the country's population, there are still only about 1.6 million users of fixed broadband.

Measures will be carried out to have high-speed fiber internet access not only to urban but also to rural areas. He pointed out that the usefulness and importance of digital technologies are more significant during and post Covid-19 period.

After passing e-Government, Digital Government will continue. In order to successfully implement Digital Trade and e-Commerce, which is a key pillar of the Digital Economy, and to prevent unwanted events, it is necessary to regulate laws and rules.

In order to enact the e-Commerce Law, the e-Commerce Law Drafting Committee was formed in 2019 and the first draft has been drawn. The Deputy Prime Miniser Union Minister called on giving the suggestions on implementations of respective sub-committees, future plans and the committee’s work programs.

Later, Chairman of the Committee, Union Minster for Commerce U Aung Naing Oo discussed adding and amending sub-committee members based on business needs, amending the work programs to effectively implement action plans and action matrixs and Myanmar Digital Economy Roadmap in line with the current situation and formation of DEDC Task Force.

Officials of the sub-committees under the DEDC reported on completion of  works on the decisions of previous meeting, progress of works and future plans.

After that, DEDC members and sub-committee members made discussion and adopted future work plans. The meeting then ended with concluding remarks by Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister Admiral Tin Aung San.