Powering Progress, Empowering People
Energy is a prerequisite to every aspect of social and economic development. GIS’s commercial aspirations in the energy sector include the full range of traditional hydrocarbon-based fuel sources and generating technologies as well as small and large scale renewable and hybrid technologies. GIS is currently exploring options to enter the sector as a small power producer (SPP) and through the development of commercially viable micro-grids in remote, off-grid rural locations.
Enabling Commerce through Access
Myanmar’s road and transportation infrastructure is extremely underdeveloped; at 2 kilometers per 1000 people, the density of Myanmar’s road networks is well below the ASEAN average of 11 kilometers per 1,000 people. Although government efforts to expand and upgrade transportation infrastructure are accelerating, the aviation sector will play a disproportionately significant role in spurring economic development, both as it relates to the development of commerce and the utilization of existing and planned tourist infrastructure. GIS has mature interests in the aviation sector that include representative agreements with key parts suppliers and manufacturers for fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
Investing to improve rural livelihoods
Myanmar has 12.25 million hectares of arable land and permanent crops, the 25th largest endowment in the world despite the fact that it is only the 38th largest country by total area. The agricultural sector employs 60 to 70 percent of the population, generates 25 to 30 percent of exports by value and accounts for nearly 40 percent of total GDP. Not surprisingly, the Myanmar government regards agricultural development as one of the key driving forces of the economy and at the very foundation of its poverty alleviation efforts. With respect to agriculture, aquaculture and forestry, GIS seeks to play the role of a value-adding partner by investing in post-harvest processing facilities, connecting local producers to international markets and producing high-quality inputs to enhance agricultural productivity. GIS and its partner companies own and operate one of Myanmar’s leading south sea golden pearl farms as well as the country’s largest agarwood plantation.
Bringing the world to Myanmar
Tourism is expected to become a pillar of Myanmar’s economy. With support from the Asian Development Bank and the Government of Norway, the government has pledged nearly half a billion dollars to enhance the country’s competitiveness as a tourism destination through the expansion of tourist infrastructure and human resources. By 2020, tourism arrivals are expected to increase seven fold to 7.5 million visitors, generating annual receipts of over USD 10 billion as well as 1.4 million jobs. GIS is leveraging its existing interests in the tourism industry as a provider of packaged tour and executive travel services to develop luxury boutique resorts and other hospitality-based businesses.
An abundance of Greenfield opportunities
Myanmar is a mineral resource rich but significantly under-explored country that hosts a number of world-class mineral deposits. Although the current Mining Law is still under review, there is widespread optimism that the institutional, regulatory and legal infrastructure essential to facilitating large-scale foreign direct investment into the sector will soon be in place. GIS is currently exploring options to expand existing activities in the mining sector by partnering with under-capitalized concession holders to bolster mining efficiencies by: (1) updating mineral reserve estimations to allow for more precise valuation of reserves; (2) securing financing from foreign investors to upgrade capital equipment; and (3) improving operational productivity through the installation of modern processing systems.
