Work Coordination Meeting: SAC Vice Chairman addressed the meeting

Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice Senior General Soe Win delivered a speech at the coordination meeting (4/2024) of Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee held at the Ministry of Commerce in Nay Pyi Taw on 9th October.

In his speech at the meeting, SAC Vice Chairman said that the main responsibility of Illegal Trade Eradication Steering Committee and the committees in different level is to prevent illegal trade activities decisively to deter the reducing of commodity production and capacity of market competitiveness of domestic industries, declining of competitive performance, the micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSMEs) should be sported strongly, after forming the steering Committee, the coordination meeting were held for 16 times, the 523 points of decisions were made and the seizures of illegal trade volume approximately amounted to 300.028 billion kyat in 14,695 cases up to August, 2024.

The rise in these illegal operations is also disrupting the stability of domestic market prices. There are several reasons for the prevalence of illegal trade, the primary challenge being the limited security measures in certain border regions, weaknesses in some legal frameworks, inadequate staff involved in combating illegal trade, and corruption.

To effectively curb these issues, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation between regional and state special task forces and relevant departments. Steps must be taken to prevent and take action against the illegal production and distribution of local natural resources.

Additionally, officials involved in combating illegal trade must remain free from corruption, carry out their duties with heightened security awareness, and ensure the effective prevention and control of illegal trading operations.

Next, the secretary of Steering Committee Deputy Minister for Commerce U Min Min clarified the completion of implementing decisions of meeting (2/2024) and work implementations of Steering Committee. Consequently, the leader of office Steering Committee work group and Directors General of the departments read the letters to the Steering Committee meeting (4/2024).

After that, Vice Chair of Steering Committee Union Minister U Win Shein, Committee member Union Minister U Tun Ohn and Deputy Minister for Defense, Nay Pyi Taw Council member, Chairmen of Regions and States Illegal Eradication Special Taskforces clarified the findings of illegal trade, status of taking actions against the arrests of illegal trade activities. After coordinating upon the clarifications by the SAC Vice Chairman, the meeting was concluded.