Media Advisory: First Major Myanmar Assessment

WHAT: Stephen Groff, Vice President of Operations in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will host a media roundtable to unveil ADB's first major assessment of Myanmar (Burma) since it began political and economic reforms in 2011.

The assessment notes that Myanmar could follow Asia's fast growing economies and expand at 7 percent to 8 percent a year, become a middle income nation, and triple per capita income by 2030 if it can surmount substantial development challenges by further implementing across-the-board reforms.

Mr. Groff will be in Washington, D.C. to brief U.S. administration officials about the assessment.

WHY:  The assessment on Myanmar provides compelling economic insight into what Myanmar's prospects could be if the country further implements across-the-board reforms and if U.S. sanctions are eased.

Myanmar's location between the People's Republic of China, India, and other South and Southeast Asian nations leaves it poised to benefit from rising regional trade, tourism and investment, and growing demand for energy and natural resources from its wealthier neighbors.

ADB recently established an office in Yangon, along with the World Bank, and is currently studying the possibility of resuming operations in Myanmar, which were halted in 1988.

WHO: Stephen Groff, Vice President of Operations in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific at the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Full bio: http://www.adb.org/about/management/stephen-groff/bio

WHEN: Thursday, September 27, 9:30 a.m. A light breakfast will be served.  

WHERE: Asian Development Bank, 900 17th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC [located across the street from the Farragut West (blue) and Farragut North (red) metro stations]

RSVP to: Michael Reyes, External Relations, mreyes@adb.org, 202-728-1504 by September 26.

/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- Sept. 25. 2012/

SOURCE Asian Development Bank