The Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) is contributing in an active and effective way to international cooperation and understanding with its programmes and projects. With the aim to support the democratisation process in the Southeast Asian country, the HSF opened together with the OAV – German Asia-Pacific Business Association on 23rd of October 2012 a representative office in Yangon, Myanmar.

On the occasion of the office opening, Dr. Peter Witterauf, Chief Executive Officer of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, and Timo Prekop, Executive Member of the Board of the OAV, made speeches in front of over 150 project partners from Myanmar and invited guests representing the fields of politics, economics and society of the Southeast Asian country as well as representatives of foreign embassies. Thura U Shwe Mann, President of the Parliament of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and U Thant Kyaw, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, both sent their congratulations for the office opening.

The HSF, affiliated with the German political party of the Christian Social Union (CSU), has in Myanmar project activities in the field of international development cooperation dating back to 1994. Dr. Peter Witterauf, Chief Executive Officer of the HSF, commented: “Due to the political, economical and social opening of the country, we as a German political foundation want to actively support the process of democratisation taking place in Myanmar in a constructive and sustainable manner. Even though there are still great challenges ahead, we are very much impressed by the ambitious reform projects, which were designed and implemented jointly by the Government and Parliament of Myanmar.” During the opening ceremony, Dr. Witterauf put great emphasis on the continuation of the reform programmes: “Economical reforms will only be successful, if they go hand in hand with political reforms.”

The current aims of the foundation’s projects are to support economical, political and social reforms as well as developing policy strategies for a sustainable and eco-friendly economic development. Other key goals include the promotion of capacity-building measures to reduce poverty by focusing on the education and training of young entrepreneurs and preparations for Myanmar’s Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2014.

To achieve these goals, the HSF is cooperating closely with project partners in Myanmar. Dr. Peter Witterauf, CEO of the HSF, had the opportunity to meet high-ranking representatives of some of these partners and to exchange views on project-relevant affairs during his visit to Myanmar. Dr. Witterauf discussed constructively economic issues and future project activities with Daw Wah Wah Tun, Chairperson of the Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs’ Association (MWEA), and U Win Aung, Chairman of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI). Another important project partner is the Myanmar Tourism Federation (MTF).

At the government level, the foundation works together with the Ministy of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism (MoHT) as well as the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development (MNPED). Business companies representing industries from all over Germany that have a common interest in the Asia-Pacific region are organized in the OAV, a private corporate network. The OAV has worked in Myanmar since 1997. It offers a network of cross-industry experiences and practical services.

With the opening of the joint office, both the HSF and the OAV will benefit from synergetic effects in their respective areas of activities. Achim Munz, Resident Representative of the HSF in Myanmar, represents the foundation on-site and will be together with Axel Neubert, Regional Representative of the HSF in Southeast Asia, responsible for the implementation of the projects.

Link of the video about the opening of the HSF Myanmar Office on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_hmMfGHs14&feature=em-share_video_user