Google's Schmidt to visit Myanmar
2013-03-15 20:02
Yangon - Google executive chairperson Eric Schmidt plans
to go to Myanmar next week, the first high-profile tech company executive to
visit after reforms that prompted Western nations to ease sanctions following
decades of military dictatorship.
Since Myanmar's military stepped aside and a
quasi-civilian government was installed in 2011, setting off a wave of
political and economic reforms, the country has enjoyed a surge of interest
from overseas businesses.
The former Burma is the last virgin territory for
businesses in Asia, with untapped markets including the telecoms sector: Mobile
penetration in the country of 60 million is estimated to be a meagre five to 10%.
The country's planned modernisation of telecoms
infrastructure and expected boom in mobile phone usage will pave the way for
the entry of companies such as Google, which could profit greatly through sales
of cheap smartphones built around its Android platform.
"Eric [Schmidt] is visiting several countries in
Asia to connect with local partners and Googlers who are working to improve the
lives of many millions of people across the region by helping them get online
and access the world's information for the first time in the next few
years," Google said in a statement.
His trip will also take in India.
The Myanmar trip will be Schmidt's second visit this year
to a country off the beaten track. In January he went to North Korea, saying it
was a personal trip to talk about a free and open internet.
Schmidt is due to give a speech at the Myanmar
Information and Communication Technology Park in Yangon on 22 March, before
making his way to the capital, Naypyitaw, to meet senior government officials,
said Zaw Min Oo, secretary general of the Myanmar Computer Society.
"There will be an audience of about 400, comprising
entrepreneurs, executive committee members of the computer association and
young leaders," Zaw Min Oo told Reuters, referring to the speech.
US issues licence for Myanmar banks
In February the US Treasury Department issued a general
licence for four of Myanmar's biggest banks, two of which are owned by tycoons
associated with the former junta, before a visit by 50 US executives that month
to explore opportunities.
The delegation, led by the US Agency for International
Development (Usaid) and including Cisco, Google , Hewlett-Packard, Intel, and
Microsoft , visited Myanmar to look into projects to boost access to the internet,
strengthen transparent government and expand digital literacy, according to a Usaid
statement.
Many leading firms in Myanmar are still largely
controlled by businessmen subject to sanctions, but Western companies are
starting to move in after the implementation of a new foreign investment law.
Myanmar is offering two operating licences for companies
to build new telecoms infrastructure.
MTN Group, Africa's largest mobile phone company, which
is bidding for a licence, has said around 90 companies have expressed interest.
