In a country where 70% of the population work in rural communities, and around a quarter of all citizens live below the poverty line, microfinance is one of the few available sources for personal and business funding. Myanmar’s microfinance institutions (MFIs) are thus a vital part of efforts to boost access to credit. Indicators of financial...
As part of ongoing efforts to liberalise the financial services sector and increase credit to the private sector, the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) has introduced regulations to facilitate foreign investment in domestic lenders. In January 2019 the CBM issued Regulation No. 1 of 2019, allowing foreign banks and financial institutions to hold...
Global trade faces protectionist headwinds that are dampening the outlook for growth in the coming years. According to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), trade volumes grew by close to 3% in 2018 and are expected to decline slightly to 2.6% in 2019 before rebounding to 3% in 2020. This may be the first time since the 2007-08 global financial...
Since initiating the process of liberalising its economy and encouraging greater foreign participation, Myanmar’s international investment inflows and trade have expanded significantly. This has gone hand in hand with strong domestic economic growth, even at a time of global trade slowdowns and protectionist headwinds. Capitalising on its...
Among its provisions, the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) 2018-30 – the country’s long-term development strategy – highlights the need for major reforms in the way the nation trades. Noting that years of isolation from the international community has led to a deterioration in the country’s trading capacity, the MSDP outlines a plan...
The country’s ongoing transition from authoritarianism to democracy will reach its next milestone in 2020, when general elections will be held in union, state and regional legislatures. The polls will take place almost 10 years after Myanmar began the gradual process of opening its economy to the world and granting democratic freedoms to a...
Stay updated on how some of the world’s most promising markets are being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and what actions governments and private businesses are taking to mitigate challenges and ensure their long-term growth story continues.
Register now and also receive a complimentary 2-month licence to the OBG Research Terminal.
Register Here×