Myanmar : Connectivity Infrastructure Development Project
The project involves investments in various infrastructure facilities in Myanmar which will improve connectivity of people and goods such as telecom, flotilla, port and airport, and distribution and logistics, which Yoma Strategic Holdings (Yoma) plans to make over the next two years.
Project Details
-
Project Officer
Pascual, Francis Mark A.
Private Sector Operations Department
Request for information -
Country/Economy
Myanmar -
Modality
-
Sector
- Transport
| Project Name | Connectivity Infrastructure Development Project | |||||
| Project Number | 48238-001 | |||||
| Borrower / Company | Yoma Strategic Holdings |
|||||
| Country / Economy | Myanmar |
|||||
| Location | ||||||
| Type or Modality of Assistance |
|
|||||
| Strategic Agendas | Inclusive economic growth |
|||||
| Drivers of Change | Partnerships Private sector development |
|||||
| Sector / Subsector |
Information and communication technology / ICT infrastructure Transport / Multimodal logistics - Road transport (non-urban) |
|||||
| Gender | Some gender elements | |||||
| Responsible ADB Department | Private Sector Operations Department | |||||
| Responsible ADB Division | Portfolio Management Division, PSOD | |||||
| Responsible ADB Officer | Pascual, Francis Mark A. | |||||
| Project Sponsor(s) | ||||||
| Description | The project involves investments in various infrastructure facilities in Myanmar which will improve connectivity of people and goods such as telecom, flotilla, port and airport, and distribution and logistics, which Yoma Strategic Holdings (Yoma) plans to make over the next two years. | |||||
| Objectives and Scope | The connectivity improvement project will support the long-term investments of Yoma Strategic Holdings (YSH) in connectivity infrastructure subprojects in Myanmar to advance inclusion of isolated people, reduce urban-rural development gaps, and attract private investment into diverse geographic areas and sectors. These objectives will be achieved by giving people and goods better access to more opportunities and markets, improving productivity through reduced transport and other transaction costs, and promoting domestic and international trade. Initial subprojects include telecom towers, cold storage logistics and fleet leasing. | |||||
| Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy | The project is aligned with the Interim Country Partnership Strategy for Myanmar, 2012-2014, which places importance on enhancing connectivity. The project addresses the critical shortage of connectivity, promotes access to markets and basic social services, improves rural infrastructure to boost productivity and incomes, lowers transaction costs, enhances opportunities for domestic and cross-border trade and investment, and improves access to reliable and sustainable utility services. The project will also complement various projects being processed by the public sector operations department of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the relevant sectors, including several road and technical assistance projects. |
| Safeguard Categories | |
|---|---|
| Environment | B |
| Involuntary Resettlement | B |
| Indigenous Peoples | C |
| Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects | |
|---|---|
| Environmental Aspects | Safeguard Category: B In compliance with ADB's Safeguard Policy Statement for general corporate finance (GCF) transactions, YSH adopted an ESMS that provides guidelines and procedures to screen and categorize subprojects and implement mitigating measures to meet the requirements of the Safeguard Policy Statement and applicable national laws and regulations. Safeguard Category: B In compliance with ADB's Safeguard Policy Statement for general corporate finance (GCF) transactions, YSH adopted an ESMS that provides guidelines and procedures to screen and categorize subprojects and implement mitigating measures to meet the requirements of the Safeguard Policy Statement and applicable national laws and regulations. The subprojects are not located within the boundaries or do not traverse environmentally sensitive areas such as protected areas, wetlands, or historical or cultural sites. The potential impacts during construction (e.g., noise, soil erosion, air, and water pollution) and operation (e.g., visual; pollution of land and water from hazardous materials and wastes; occupational and community health and safety, including electromagnetic exposure) were identified, and effective measures to avoid, minimize, mitigate, and compensate for any adverse impacts were incorporated in the environmental and social management plan. |
| Involuntary Resettlement | Safeguard Category: B Although the project was categorized B for involuntary resettlement, all seven ADB-funded subprojects were classified as category C. Lands where subprojects are located are either leased or owned by the investee company, and the construction and operation of these subprojects did not lead to economic or physical displacement. 1. Key impacts. Some of the project components (telecom towers and cold storage logistics facilities) will be located either on leased lands or lands purchased through negotiated settlements. No involuntary resettlement impacts are envisaged for the first subprojects. Only in the event of the unavailability of suitable sites through negotiated settlements would the requirement for involuntary resettlement be triggered. An ESMS that provides guidelines and procedures to screen and categorize subprojects and implement mitigating measures to meet the requirements of the Safeguard Policy Statement and applicable national laws and regulations has been adopted by the project. 2. Strategy to address the impacts. The corporate ESMS of the borrower includes guidelines and procedures for addressing involuntary resettlement impacts in line with the ADB Safeguard Policy Statement requirements. Entity-level environmental and social procedures, including site selection criteria, will be developed in line with the corporate ESMS provisions. |
| Indigenous Peoples | Safeguard Category: C The project was categorized C for indigenous peoples (IP). No vulnerable ethnic minority groups were impacted by any of the ADB-funded subprojects. An ESMS that provides guidelines and procedures to screen and categorize subprojects and implement mitigating measures to meet the requirements of the Safeguard Policy Statement and applicable national laws and regulations has been adopted by the project. |
| Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation | YSH has a Stakeholder Engagement Plan that provides for regular engagement with project local stakeholders including timely and appropriate disclosure of information on planned activities and significant project changes. |
| Timetable for assistance design, processing and implementation | |
|---|---|
| Concept Clearance | 23 Jun 2014 |
| Credit Committee Meeting | 27 Oct 2014 |
| Approval | 10 Dec 2014 |
| Last PDS Update | 16 May 2022 |
Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.
The Access to Information Policy (AIP) recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential to development effectiveness. It establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced.
The Accountability Mechanism provides a forum where people adversely affected by ADB-assisted projects can voice and seek solutions to their problems and report alleged noncompliance of ADB's operational policies and procedures.
In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of, or reference to, a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.
| Title | Document Type | Document Date |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity Infrastructure Development Project: Report and Recommendation of the President | Reports and Recommendations of the President | Nov 2014 |
| Connectivity Infrastructure Development Project: Project Data Sheet (Myanmar Language Translation) | Translated PDS | Apr 2015 |
| Connectivity Infrastructure Development Project: Initial Poverty and Social Analysis | Initial Poverty and Social Analysis | Apr 2015 |
| Connectivity Infrastructure Development Project: Extended Annual Review Report | Extended Annual Review Reports | Dec 2020 |
Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.
Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation
None currently available.
Related Publications
None currently available.
The Access to Information Policy (AIP) establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced in its operations to facilitate stakeholder participation in ADB's decision-making. For more information, refer to the Safeguard Policy Statement, Operations Manual F1, and Operations Manual L3.
Requests for information may also be directed to the InfoUnit.
$100 Million Loan To Yoma Strategic Holdings To Help Myanmar Get Connected
ADB has approved a loan of up to $100 million to Singapore-listed Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. (Yoma Strategic) to improve infrastructure connectivity needed for sustainable economic growth in Myanmar.