S MART Myanmar held a kick-off event on January 19 for the next phase of the “SMART Myanmar” project-an initiative to boost Myanmar’s garment industry and help factories improve social and environmental standards at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI). Invitied guests from factories, embassies and other stakeholders, several of the partners of the SMART Myanmar project attended the event. Roland Kobia, the Ambassador of the European Union gave the keynote address. Following on the successful implementation of activities during the first 3 years, SMART Myanmar has launched a new 4-year project phase which will expand and accelerate some of the previous activities – such as assistance to factories on social compliance and human resources management – as well as introducing entirely new activities related to promoting sustainable production and transparency in procurement practices in Myanmar.
Roland Kobia said “Garment has quickly emerged as the star sector in Myanmar’s economy. The growth numbers in the sector are impressive, not least thanks to the trade preferences granted by the EU. Exporting to Europe creates an incentive for Myanmar companies and authorities to step up their quality and management. This is a huge opportunity for economic development provided that the benefits are shared among all and that the environment can be preserved.” Myint Soe, Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA) Chairman stated that “SMART Myanmar has a large team of specialists and experts. They have really helped factories understand social and environmental compliance issues and make important corrective actions. The MGMA is pleased to continue this partnership as we all continue to improve and grow our garment industry in Myanmar.”
Simone Lehmann, Project Director, SMART Myanmar said “The Garment sector has quickly become Myanmar’s main export sector after oil and gas. The value of exports has more than doubled in less than 2 years and is projected to continue to grow almost exponentially for the next several years. The growth of the garment sector will contribute to the growth of the industrial sector and create many new jobs. Continuing to work closely with Myanmar factories and the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association, the aim of the SMART project is to actively promote and support the sustainable production of garments “Made in Myanmar” striving to increase the international competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in this sector. It aims at scaling-up and institutionalizing successful practices in Myanmar which were developed and implemented during SMART’s first phase from 2013 – 2015. By sharing international experience SMART supports local companies meeting the consumer requirements in Europe for products that are good for the environment and for the people”.
SMART Myanmar is an EU-funded project which was first launched in 2013. In the past three years the project team worked with dozens of local garment factories to improve the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises, and raise their social and environmental standards. The next phase of the SMART Myanmar project will expand and accelerate some of the previous activities – such as assistance to factories on social compliance and human resources management – as well as introduce new initiatives related to promoting sustainable production and transparency in Myanmar.
