Germany pledges 25m-euro assistance
Germany has pledged 17 million euros (US$19 million) for development projects to strengthen the economy of Myanmar, as part of 25 million euros pledged for rural roads, small-enterprise financing and capacity development.
German Ambassador Christian-Ludwig Weber-Lortsch pledged the commitment for financial and technical development assistance to the minister of national planning and economic development, Kan Zaw, on June 24.
A statement from the German Embassy said grants worth 17 million euros were for projects to be carried out by the German development agency, GIZ, and by the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources. The projects were targeting the improvement of vocational training, development of banking and financial systems, capacity building for the private sector and sustainable development of the mining sector, it said.
Up to 5 million euros of these grants are intended to be spent on rural infrastructure programmes in Shan State. The goal is to build and maintain secure roads and bridges in order to facilitate access for people in remote regions to critical infrastructure such as markets, schools, work places and health posts.
The remaining 3 million euros will be made available to finance micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises in order to support private business.
