Myanmar and Belarus foster friendship and cooperation

Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing received Mr Maxim Ryzhenkov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, at the Credentials Hall of the Office of SAC Chairman in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon.
At the meeting, they frankly discussed the improvement of friendly relations between Myanmar and Belarus and cooperation, enhancement of diplomatic relations and trade sector between the two countries.
Both sides talked about on the promotion of cooperation in education, agriculture, livestock breeding, pharmaceutical, industrial and tourism sectors and other realms. They also cordially exchanged views on sending scholarship students to pursue science and technologies, enhancing cooperation in defence measures, and political progress in Myanmar, and making preparations with utmost efforts to hold a free and fair election.
Also, present at the meeting together with the Senior General were Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, Council member General Nyo Saw, Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Than Swe, Union Ministers Dr Kan Zaw and U Tun Ohn, deputy ministers and officials.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus was accompanied by Hanoi-based Belarusian Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Uladzimir Baravikou, Deputy Ministers of the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, and delegation members.— MNA/TTA

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

A dinner in honour of the 77th Anniversary of Independence Day hosted by State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing and his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla took place in conjunction with the honourary entertainment ceremony at the lawns of the SAC Chairman Office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday evening.
SAC Vice-Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Thiri Pyanchi Maha Thray Sithu Soe Win and his wife Daw Than Than Nwe, Union ministers and their wives welcomed the guests.
The Senior General and his wife arrived there and cordially greeted chairpersons and representatives from political parties, ambassadors and charges d’affaires of foreign missions, honourary consulars and guests on the lawns.
The Senior General, his wife and the dinner attendees enjoyed the displays of fireworks. The Senior General and his wife dined with the attendees. Before and during the dinner, artistes from MRTV and Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture performed songs and dances.
After the entertainment, the Senior General and his wife presented the flower baskets to the artistes. Also present on the occasion were the SAC Secretary and his wife, the Joint Secretary and his wife, council members and their wives, union-level dignitaries and their wives, advisers to the SAC Chairman, the SAC Central Advisory Body members, union ministers and their wives, union-level organization members, the Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, honorary title recipients, and specially invited guests. — MNA/TTA

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

Nationwide participation key to country’s success

The State Administration Council sets Five-Point Roadmap including the fact “Emphasis will be placed on ensuring peace and stability and the full rule of law across the whole Union, and on successfully conducting free and fair multiparty democratic general elections” and Nine Objectives including “To ensure a strong, disciplined and authentic multiparty democratic system and foster a Union founded upon democratic and federal systems” for the socioeconomic development of the national people, said Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony to confer honourary titles to mark the 77th Anniversary of Independence Day to relevant recipients, held at the SAC Chairman Office yesterday morning.
In his speech, the Senior General highlighted the endeavors and efforts of entire national people in regaining Independence of the country on 4 January 1948.
He added that the country is still weak in tranquility and peace to date due to the internal and external destructive elements and negative succession of colonialism although the country marks 77th independency.
Therefore, all are responsible to maintain the independence and not only should make concerted efforts to build a peaceful and develop nation as per the visions of the ones who made sacrifices for independence but also protect the endurance of independence.

State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing confers the Sithu title on Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein at the conferring of honourary titles on recipients at SAC Chairman’s Office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

He then stressed the power of the participation of all national people for the nation whereas the government confers honorary titles to those who put their hearts and souls into this matter on Independence Day and other significant days.
The Senior General revealed that at today’s ceremony, the Sithu title will be conferred on two, the Thura title on nine, the Thiri Pyanchi title on five, Zeya Kyaw Htin title on three, Wunna Kyaw Htin title on 96, Alinka Kyaw Swa title on five and Theikpa Kyaw Swa title on two, totalling 122.
He then urged the intellectuals, intelligentsia and national people to work with the government actively while the Five-point Roadmap, Nine Objectives and Two National Visions are being implemented practically.
The Senior General conferred the Sithu title on one recipient, the Thura title on eight, the Thiri Pyanchi title on one, the Zeya Kyaw Htin title on three, the Wunna Kyaw Htin title on 78, the Alinka Kyaw Swa title on three and Theikpa Kyaw Swa title on two individually.
Also present at the ceremony were Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Senior General, SAC Vice-Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Thiri Pyanchi Maha Thray Sithu Soe Win and wife, the council secretary and wife, the joint secretary, council members and their wives and State dignitaries. —MNA/KTZH

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

Historic Dala Dockyard hosts sesquicentenary celebration

SENIOR General Min Aung Hlaing stressed the need to conduct research to use battery power for running vessels. A ceremony to mark the 150th anniversary of the historic Dala Dockyard took place in Dala Township, Yangon Region, with an address by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing yesterday morning.
On his arrival, the Senior General and party were welcomed by children from families of the staff at Dala Dockyard.
Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Transport and Communications General Mya Tun Oo, Union Minister for Industry Dr Charlie Than and Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein formally opened the No 1 upgraded dock lane, new dock trailer and 1,500-tonne tugboat as a gesture of honouring the sesquicentenary celebration of the dockyard.
The Senior General unveiled the plaque of the heavy renovation of the historic diesel workshop built in 1875 at the shipyard and the historic signboard and sprinkled scented water on the plaque.
Speaking on the occasion, the Senior General said that the 150th anniversary of the shipyard took place at the ancient diesel workshop where they all watched a video clip on records of Inland Water Transport and Dala Dockyard. He continued that inland water transport must be upgraded to coastal shipping, river freight transport to coastal freight transport, container transport and maritime freight systems to achieve greater connectivity and growth.
The Senior General highlighted that State-owned dockyards need to consider long-term interests with high capability by building vessels similar to Dala Dockyard.
The Senior General stressed the need to conduct research to use battery power for running vessels. He added that shipyards must be equipped with necessary facilities such as dock lanes, machinery, construction workshops, forklifts and heavy machinery, and essential equipment for vessel design creation to conform to global standards. He underlined that relevant maritime departments have to exchange experiences and technologies of the ship-building process under the maritime rules and regulations for the existence of historic dockyards to develop the maritime sector development of the State.
The Senior General emphasized that to ensure the safe and secure operation of inland water transport, efforts must be made not only in riverine transport but also in coastal shipping, coastal cargo transport, and the integration of coastal and riverine passenger and cargo transport services.
He underscored that by assessing the state’s funding support, market availability, and the potential for economic profitability, efforts should be made to enhance the transport of goods along the coastal waterways by leveraging the capabilities of the Dala Dockyard.
SAC Member Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Transport and Communications General Mya Tun Oo reported on the background of the shipyard, work process, and implementation of shipyard functions in accord with the guidance of the Head of State and plans.
The Senior General presented cash awards to employees of the shipyard and visited the exhibition of the shipyard on documentary photos, scale models of vessels and others displayed at the ancient diesel workshop.
The Senior General inspected the heavy renovation of vessels, testing the scale models of vessels to build the coastal cargo vessels at the worksite of the shipyard and left necessary guidance.
Also present at the ceremony were Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, council members, union ministers, union-level dignitaries, senior Tatmadaw officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the commander of Yangon Command, officials from the Ministry of Transport and Communications and employees from the shipyard.
Dala Dockyard is the oldest shipyard under the Inland Water Transport. It renovated IWT vessels, created vessel designs and built ships in successive eras while manufacturing machinery and vessel parts, repairing vessels of other departments and enterprises successfully. As workshops, dock lanes and machinery are old at Dala Dockyard with lease capacity, docklanes were renovated, new machinery installed and buildings improved at the shipyard under the guidance of the Head of State. Hence, Dala Dockyard has plans to implement its new future duties assigned by the IWT, based on developed human resources, by constantly monitoring the changing trading system. — MNA/TTA

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

ACCORDING to the Ministry of Energy, domestically produced petrol will be available at State owned petrol stations nationwide commencing January 2025. 

From 4 January 2025, local product of petrol will initially be sold at one State-owned fuel station in the Nay Pyi Taw Council Area and two stations in Mandalay Region. Additionally, plans are underway to begin distributing and selling locally produced petrol at one State-owned filling station in Bago Region and an other in Shan State beginning in January.

 Currently, domestic fuel production is supplied by the Thanlyin Oil Refinery in Yangon Region, the Chauk Oil Refinery in Magway Region, and the Mann Thanpayakan Oil Refinery also in Magway Region. — ASH/TMT

Source: Global News Light of Myanmar

A total of 633 container vessels docked at the Yangon Port in 2024, the Myanma Port Authority announced. 

The arrival of the contain er vessels rose in 2024 compared to 629 vessels in 2023. 

Myanma Port Authority stated that 49 vessels in January, 53 in February, 55 in March, 50 in April, 52 in May, 50 each in June, July and August, 55 in September, 52 in October, 57 in November and 60 in December 2024 arrived at Yangon Port. 

Following the draft extension, international ocean liners can now access the inner port, according to the Myanma Port Authority’s statement on 22 June 2022. 

After the new navigation channel (Kings Bank Channel) accessing the inner Yangon River had been found, the draft extension work was accelerated. After that, the port Zhaoming (185.99 metres LOA, 35.25 metres Beam, 29,232 GRT and 2,698 TEU) of Hong Kong-based SITC Shipping Line docked at Asia World Port Terminal for the first time on 22 June, which is the largest ship that AWPT Port handled. 

From May 2021, the arriv can now handle larger ships. The container vessel MV SITC al of the ships at terminals in Yangon has increased again. Three new container vessels by Maersk Line Myanmar (Sea Land Maersk) started to run to fulfil the seaborne trade requirements in 2021. Earlier, the larger ships had draft problems preventing sailing on the Yangon River. With the draft being extended up to 10 meters, the larger ocean liners can enter the Thilawa Port. — NN/KK

Source: Global New Light Of Myanmar 

MYANMAR women seeking employment in South Korea can now apply through the Public Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), according to a recent announcement.
The POEA has stated that applications are open for service sector positions in South Korea as part of the first batch of manufacturing and service jobs under Group 1. Job application forms for Group 1 will be available from 2 to 7 January 2025, with submissions accepted between 8 and 13 January.
The service sector category was introduced in the 16th EPS-Topik exam conducted earlier this year, enabling Myanmar women to work in South Korea. Those who pass the exam will be eligible for selection to work in South Korea’s service sector. Overseas employment agencies estimate that approximately 3,400 applicants passed the exam this year. — ASH/TMT

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

THE new five-day bridge holidays recently declared can improve tourism and increase domestic and international travel, as hotels in popular tourist destinations are fully booked, said U Naung Naung Han, chairman of and increase domestic and international travel, as hotels in popular tourist destinations are the Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs Association.
These bridge holidays have made it more convenient for employees and private businesses to make local and outbound trips. “The five-day long holiday has made it better for tourism. For employees and private businesses, it is good for four or five days long local and outbound trips. Some plan for outbound tours,” he said.
For coming long holidays, hotels in popular destinations such as Mandalay, Bagan-Nyaun-gU-Popa, Shan State – Kalaw, Taunggyi, Inlay – and PyinOoLwin, Kyaiktiyo, Hpa-an, Chaungtha, and Ngwehsaung are almost fully booked, with only one or two rooms left.
“There are many tours to various regions. As far as we know, almost every hotel in popular destinations is fully booked, including Shan State, Bagan, Chaungtha and Ngwehsaung.
There are only one or two rooms left in many hotels, “ he said.
In addition to promoting existing cultural and pagoda festivals, new destinations should be developed and invested to attract tourists, he advised.
“There are some local promotions by tour management organizations in areas such as Pyay and Bago Region. Activities like flower festivals can attract public interest. Existing cultural and pagoda festivals in respective regions should be promoted. If new fairs are developed in coordination with the relevant local authorities, more tourists can visit,” he said. — MT/ZN

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

Yangon City opens second underpass

CHAIRMAN of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing yesterday morning attended the ceremony to inaugurate an underpass, which is the second facility of its kind in Myanmar, on U Wizara Road between the western archway of Shwedagon Pagoda and the People’s Park in Dagon Township, Yangon Region.
Mayor U Bo Htay reported to the Senior General on the purpose of building the underpass with the efforts of Myanmar engineers and its advantages.
The Senior General and party watched a video clip on the construction of the underpass and gave gifts to engineers who participated in the construction project.
The chief minister, the commander and dignitaries inaugurated the underpass whereas the Senior General pressed the button to unveil the entrance to the underpass.
The Senior General viewed the documentary photos on the construction of the underpass and visited there, leaving necessary guidance to officials. Also present at the ceremony were Council Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, council members, Union ministers, the Yangon Region chief minister, senior Tatmadaw officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Yangon Command commander, the mayor, regional-level officials and guests.
Guided by the Senior General, the construction of an underpass started in October 2023 to emerge a modern infrastructure for ensuring traffic safety of people who visit the Shwedagon Pagoda and People’s Square as the area is crowded with pilgrims and travellers to Shwedagon Pagoda. The main structure of the underpass is 11 feet high, 23 feet wide and 461 feet long with four entrances and exits for the use of some 14,000 people per hour.
The underpass is facilitated with four escalators and two lifts for older persons and people with disabilities. Thanks to the underpass, people and pilgrims can travel there with traffic safely, and it can contribute to the reduction of traffic congestion on U Wizara Road to some extent. The already-opened underpass can benefit the people and become a development symbol of Yangon. — MNA/TTA

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

From January to November 2024, more than 400,000 domestic and international visitors travelled to tourist destinations in Bago Region, according to the Bago Region Tourism Committee. Tourist sites in Bago Region hosted 399,637 domestic tourists and 6,329 international visitors, generating K4,909.34 million in tourism revenue. Compared to the same period in the previous year, the number of domestic tourists increased by 13,751, and revenue grew by K651.25 million. The Bago Region Tourism Committee announced plans to boost regional tourism with the onset of the dry season. This includes intensifying efforts to promote tourism from multiple angles and developing new travel itineraries. The region offers seasonal festivals, prominent religious festivals, cultural heritage sites, accommodation, dining, and leisure facilities to ensure a pleasant and fulfilling experience for both domestic and international travellers. Efforts have also been made to maintain cleanliness, beauty, and a welcoming environment in these locations, including ensuring flower gardens bloom year-round and keeping public toilets consistently clean. The tourism sector plays a vital role in supporting the growth of MSMEs (micro, small, and medium-sized enter prises) in the region. By ensuring visitor convenience, safety, and satisfaction, the Regional Tourism Committee is working to achieve the continued success of the region’s tourism industry.ASH/TMT

Source: GNLM