Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, yesterday shared the story of Myanmar’s digital transformation at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2019, in Bangkok.

According Suu Kyi, Myanmar is a late comer when it comes to adjusting to the disruption caused by fast changing technologies. She pointed out that ASEAN Human Empowerment and Development (AHEAD), an ASEAN initiative to prepare member countries for changes and challenges from the fourth industrial revolution, is crucially important, especially for micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSME). To make the transition to ASEAN 4.0, MSMEs must be upgraded, she said.

“Having travelled widely within ASEAN and elsewhere over the past several years, it has become clear to me that we, in Myanmar, must make every effort to upskill and reskill our workforce and prepare for a forward learning, future ready, fully empowered Myanmar 4.0,” she said.

Like other countries in ASEAN, Myanmar’s MSMEs are the driving force of the domestic economy, and most of them are at the frontline of this transformation. “Not only are they crucial employment generators, they are also a source of national innovation, wealth creation, poverty reduction and human empowerment,” she said.

She said in the past few years Myanmar has been trying to develop its MSMEs. “As a result of our collective efforts, we have maintained our high rate of economic growth, around 6-7%, for several consecutive years, among the fastest in Asia,” she said.

She concluded that all countries will be subjected to disruption. “Those who will prosper during this transition, will be those who can swim with, and not against the tide of change,” she said.