On 31 May 2013, a 17-person high level delegation from Myanmar completed its first mining study tour in Australia. The study tour, hosted by AusAID, took place following the AusAID Mining for Development Conference and Global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Conferences held in Sydney from 20–24 May. The delegation included Myanmar Government Ministers, senior officials and civil society representatives, and was the first instance of government and civil society representatives from Myanmar coming together to formally engage on mining and development issues.
Myanmar is a resource rich country. Having only recently emerged from decades of political and economic isolation, Myanmar is currently the poorest country in Southeast Asia. With good management, Myanmar's mineral wealth could dramatically improve the lives of Myanmar's estimated 60 million people, one quarter of whom live below the poverty threshold of $1.25 per day.
The study tour was organised in response to the Government of Myanmar's request to Australia for help to reform the mining sector. The two-week program was supported by Australia's Mining for Development initiative, which aims to improve the social outcomes of mining in developing countries.
In addition to attending the two conferences, Myanmar delegates undertook a series of bilateral meetings with Australian Government and international stakeholders and visited mine sites in NSW and Queensland.
Delegates studied best practise engagement with Indigenous communities on employment and benefits sharing, methods for effective consultation with communities impacted by mine sites, site rehabilitation, and environmental and social impact assessments. They also learned about state-level natural resources governance and revenue transparency.
The Australia–Myanmar Partnership for Reform, announced during President Thein Sein's visit to Australia in March ($20 million, 2013–2015), will help Myanmar to develop its mining sector in a way that is equitable and environmentally sustainable, and that maximises benefits for Myanmar's people. The partnership will also support Myanmar to strengthen democratic institutions, promote human rights, advance the rule of law and improve economic governance.
Australia's assistance includes support for the Myanmar Government's commitment to join the EITI, the global standard for ensuring transparency of payments between companies and governments. Australia, in partnership with the United Kingdom, will work with Revenue Watch International to support civil society organisations to work with the Government to ensure that the benefits of Myanmar's resources industry are used to improve the lives of its people. Australia is also exploring options to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Mining to help reform existing mining legislation.