On 3rd and 4th April 2019 Inauguration and handing over ceremonies were held for Post-Basic Education Primary School in Hmyar Chaung Village and Sub-Health Centre with Staff House in Kha Maung Tone Village in Thandwe Township, Rakhine State (respectively).

Both ceremonies were held in the presence of Mr. Keita Iwase, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Myanmar, Rakhine State Government Minister for Planning, Finance, Revenue & Economics and Rakhine State Government Minister for Social Affairs, UNDP representatives and local community members.

The Government of Japan has been assisting development of Rakhine State through Township Development Local Governance Project (TDLG), an initiative of the UN Development Programme and as part of a larger joint programme with UN Women to address the complex development challenges in Rakhine State, particularly the inequalities faced by women. 

By providing discretionary grants to Rakhine state government, UNDP is assisting townships to put in place a responsive township administration that effectively and efficiently provides basic services to its people in an inclusive, accountable and transparent manner.

In his opening remarks the Rakhine State Finance, Revenue, Planning and Economics Minister highlighted: “Although UNDP TDLG’s Participatory Township Planning Project’s activities has started in Rakhine State (5) Townships since 2018-2019 Fiscal Year, we have seen its tangible outputs and remarkable achievements during one year period so that Rakhine State Government has already recommended that UNDP should not only continue this TDLG Project approach in existing (5) Project Townships but also expand to other Townships in Rakhine State in 2019-2020 Fiscal Year.”

Rakhine State Social Affairs Minister delivered the opening speech in the opening ceremony of Standard Rural Health Center and His Excellency  mentioned: “On behalf of Rakhine State Government, we would like to extend our many sincere thanks to;  People from Japan who donated to our community in Myanmar, Dedicated and skillful UNDP Staff,  Very dutiful Thandwe Township Planning & Implementation Committee, The respective Village Tract Administrators and his villagers and the private construction company who constructed this Health Center & Staff House Building for their making happen to today celebration.”

Mr. Keita Iwase, the First Secretary of Embassy of Japan delivered his opening remarks in both opening ceremonies and he consistently appreciated: “The main reasons for being able to conduct these opening celebrations are; UNDP Staff who implemented development projects by using Township Development Grant Modality and Participatory Township Planning Approaches, Inclusively  participated by  Members of Parliaments, People representatives of Wards & Village Tracts Administrators, Women Representatives, Representatives from CSOs, Township Planning & Implementation Committee and, even private sector involvement for construction through transparent tender process under the overall guidance & supervision of Rakhine State Government.”

Ms. Anki Dellnas, UNDPs Chief Technical Advisor for Local Governance and the TDLG Project remarked in her speech: “We have been working in close partnership with Rakhine State Government and the Township Planning Department to ensure that our projects are sustainable and institutionally anchored, because at the end of the day it is the government that is responsible to provide basic services to its people. What we have seen through this participatory planning process is how the government comes closer to the people, listens to them and takes their needs into consideration.”

As highlighted in these initial successful first steps, UNDP through TDLG project will keep on assisting townships in their participatory planning process that will ultimately contribute to improved basic services for its people in Myanmar.