Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, ASEAN Economic Minister (AEM) of Myanmar, Dr. Kan Zaw, and delegations attended the ASEAN and Dialogue Partners Economic Ministers’ Meetings which were held back-to-back with the 56^th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM) in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

           The Union Minister attended the 20^th AEM-EU Trade Commissioner Consultation on the morning of September 16, 2024. At the meeting, the Ministers reviewed the activities of the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) and its recommendations and discussed the progress of ASEAN-EU Economic Cooperation Programs, and the implementation of the ASEAN-EU Trade and Investment Work Programme 2024-2025. Then, the Union Minister joined the 13^th AEM-Russia Consultation where views were exchanged on potential collaboration to strengthen ASEAN-Russia economic relations under the ASEAN-Russia Trade and Investment Work Programme for 2021-2025 In addition, the meeting noted the implementation progress of the ASEAN - Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) economic relations.

In the afternoon, the Union Minister participated in the AEM Troika Open-Ended Dialogue with Switzerland’s Trade Minister. During the meeting, the Ministers adopted the Joint Declaration on Economic Cooperation between ASEAN and the Member States of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and discussed the possible economic cooperation between ASEAN and Switzerland.  Afterwards, the Union Minister attended the Fourth AEM- UK Consultation. At the Meeting, the Ministers noted the progress of the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP) 2023-2024, and exchanged views on how ASEAN and the UK can leverage the Programme to further strengthen the economic under the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme from 2024 to 2028.

           Union Minister joined the 8^th AEM- Hong Kong (China) Consultation on the morning of 20^th September 2024 and discussed the progress of the Work Programme of the ASEAN –Hong Kong Investment Agreement and the review of the ASEAN-Hong Kong Economic Work Programme. Then, the Union Minister attended the AEM - United States Trade Representative (USTR) Consultation. At the meeting, the Ministers discussed the implementation of the 2023-2024 ASEAN-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) and Expanded Economic Engagement (E3) Work Plan and endorsed the 2024-2025 ASEAN-US TIFA and E3 Work Plan.

           In the afternoon, the Union Minister attended in the 13^th AEM- Canada Consultation. The Ministers exchanged views and provided guidance on the recommendation of the business mission of the Canada-ASEAN Business Council to ASEAN Countries for promotion of trade and investment between ASEAN and Canada , the implementation of the 2021-2025 Work Plan to Implement the ASEAN-Canada Joint Declaration on Trade and Investment (JDTI), the status of capacity building projects under the Expert Deployment Mechanism for Trade and Development (EDM) and the progress of the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Afterwards, Union Minister participated in the 21^st AEM-India Consultation, and the Ministers noted the recommendations submitted by the ASEAN-India Business Council (AIBC) and exchanged views on the progress of the ASEAN- India Trade in Goods Agreement review negotiations.

           On 21^st September, the Union Minister participated the meeting with ASEAN and Australia, New Zealand Economic Ministers at the 29^th AEM-CER Consultation. The Ministers discussed and provided guidance on the preparations for the forthcoming entry-into-force (EIF) of the Second Protocol to Amend the ASEAN –Australia, New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA), the implementation progress of the AANZFTA Implementation Support Programme of the Economic Cooperation Work Programme and the outcomes of the 2024 ASEAN-CER Integration Partnership Forum (IPF) held on 29 May 2024 in Auckland, New Zealand.  Then, the Union Minister attended the 30^th ASEAN-METI (Japan) Consultation. At the meeting, the Ministers discussed the implementation of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP) Agreement, ASEAN-Japan collaboration initiatives, including Future Design and Action Plan of Innovative and Sustainable ASEAN-Japan Economic Co-Creation 2023 – 2033 and the recommendations of the Federation of Japanese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN (FJCCIA).

           In the afternoon, the Union Minster joined the Economic Ministers of ASEAN, Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Russia, and the US at the 12^th East Asia Summit (EAS) Economic Ministers’ Meeting, and exchanged views on mitigating the impact of regional and global economic uncertainty through collaboration among EAS Countries.  

           Union Minister participated in the 23^rd AEM-MOFCOM (China) Consultation on the morning of 22^nd September 2024. At the meeting, the Ministers discussed and provided guidance on the progress of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) 3.0, the Work Programme on Further Deepening ASEAN-China Trade and Economic Cooperation, and the progress of the implementation of the ASEAN-China Initiative on Enhancing Cooperation on E-Commerce. Afterwards, the Union Minister joined the 21^st AEM-ROK (Republic of Korea) Consultation, and the Ministers discussed the report on the upgrade of the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) and the progress report on ASEAN-Korea economic cooperation.

           In the afternoon, the Union Minister attended the 27^th AEM-Plus Three (China, Korea, Japan) Consultation. At the meeting, the Ministers noted the issues and recommendations raised by the East Asia Business Council (EABC), the progress of implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three Economic Cooperation Work Programme 2023-2024 and the progress of the ASEAN Plus Three Industrial Chain & Supply Chain Partnering Conference, and endorsed the ASEAN Plus Three Economic Cooperation Work Programme 2025-2026. Then, the Union Minister participated in the 3^rd Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministers’ Meeting, and the Ministers exchanged the experiences of the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and discussed the establishment of the RCEP Unit at the ASEAN Secretariat.

H.E. Malaithong Kommasith, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Lao PDR, chaired the Meetings which were attended by Economic Ministers of ASEAN, Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong (China), Canada, Russia, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America, EU Trade Commission Representative, the members of business councils, Secretary General of ASEAN Secretariat and representatives. The meetings were joined by H.E. Aung Ko, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Dr. Marlar Myo Nyunt, Myanmar SEOM Lead, Director General of Foreign Economic Relations Department and responsible persons together with the Union Minister.

During the meeting, the Union Minister met with H.E. Mr. Vladimir Ilichev, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation on 19^th September and with H.E. Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister for Commerce and Industry on 21^st September, and discussed promoting bilateral economic relations between Myanmar and Russia as well as Myanmar and India, respectively.

Myanmar delegation led by Dr. Kan Zaw, Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations arrived back from Vientiane, Laos PDR on the evening of 23 September 2024 after attending the Fifty-Sixth ASEAN Economic Ministers’(AEM) Meeting and Related Meetings.

The Union Minister and delegation were welcomed at the Yangon International Airport by the Director General and officials from the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration.