RANGOON—A Singaporean company signed an agreement with Burma’s
national chamber of commerce to organize four conferences this year on
tourism, real estate, banking and finance, and transport. The events
will offer local and international businessmen the chance to meet key
Burmese government officials and international business executives
active in these sectors.
The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(UMFCCI) is working with SPHERE Conference—which calls itself “the
leader in organizing business-to-business executive conferences in
Asia”—to hold several three-day events in Rangoon.
SPHERE’s website says it will organize the Myanmar Hospitality and
Tourism Conference on Feb. 26-28, the Myanmar Urban Development
conferences on May 8-10, the Myanmar Banking and Finance Conference from
May 27-29, and the Myanmar Logistics and Supply Chain Conferences from
Sep. 16-18.
The upcoming conference is billed as “dedicated to deliver exciting
opportunities offered by the new Myanmar. […] Government authorities,
city planners, construction and infrastructure developers will be there
to share plans, identify and explore new business initiatives in this
developing market.”
SPHERE Chairman Chua Wee Phong said the events “aim to link
international investors and the Burmese private sectors as well as
government institutions, by holding the conferences on different sectors
in the country.”
“From these conferences investors can get information to make the
right decision for their valuable investment” in Burma, he said at a
press conference on Friday.
Each conference offers a selection of international corporate
executive speakers, while SPHERE’s website promises that visitors will
meet officials from Burmese government ministries and departments, along
with a host of companies, investors and consultants.
The cost of the attending the swank business affair: between US
$2,095 and $2,712 for international participants, while local
businessmen looking to rub shoulders with international executives and
government officials pay $700 per person.
The planned conferences are the latest in a series of business events
that have been held in Burma in recent months, which have been aimed at
foreign companies eager for information about the country’s business
potential following the lifting of international sanctions last year.
UMFCCI Joint Secretary Aung Khin Myint said he welcomed the surge in
corporate interest in Burma, although he noted that some business
consultants and analysts were using the wave of interest in Burma to
market their own services.
“Some people will come here as a consultants and they will take
money, even though they don’t know and understand the country’s
situation. Other people will hold conferences and workshops in the
country and they will charge high fees,” he said.
“Different people will find profits by using Burma in different ways.
It doesn’t matter, other developing countries also suffered from that
during their transition period,” Aung Khin Myint added.
source: Irrawaddy
http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/24164
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