Tuesday 26 November 2013

Switzerland to support Myanmar US$ 2 million to boost labour conditions

YANGON—Switzerland will allocate a budget of almost US$ 2 million (Ks 1.94 billion) over the next three years to improve labour conditions in Myanmar, according to the Embassy of Switzerland.

More than two-thirds of the money will be spent on projects to improve general labour conditions.

The programme will include combating child labour and unsafe working conditions, and promoting more efficient use of water, energy and other raw materials in the production process.

“Switzerland will support Myanmar in improving social and environmental responsibility in the economy,” the Swiss Embassy said in a statement.

The announcement follows the two-day visit of a Swiss business delegation to the Southeast Asian country earlier this week. The delegation representing Swiss companies, headed by Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs, visited Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw, meeting with government officials and local business people.

On the occasion of the first Swiss economic mission, Ineichen-Fleisch, also her country’s Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), signed the corresponding agreements.

Within the context of its economic cooperation and development, SECO is collaborating on this effort with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Industrial Developing Organisation (UNIDO).

The programme aims to improve general labour conditions and resource efficiency in Myanmar’s strategically important economic sectors of textiles, tourism and food processing.

“After years of being a closed economy, Myanmar is now increasingly opening up and entering the global economy. However, it faces enormous social and ecological challenges, and these are seriously threatening the country’s development opportunities,” said a senior official from the Swiss Embassy.

source: Eleven Myanmar

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...