On February 20, His Excellency Mr. Mikio Numata, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and Her Excellency Lei Lei Thein, Deputy-Minister for National Planning and Economic Development, signed and exchanged the Notes for two Grant Aid projects in Myanmar, amounting to JPY 1,716 million (equivalent to USD 17 million).

(1) The Project for Improvement of Medical Equipment in General Hospitals in Yangon (amount to JPY 978 million):
• - Despite continuing efforts for reforms and economic development, Improvement of medical and healthcare service is considered as pressing task in Myanmar.
• - Currently, Yangon Hospital and new Yangon Hospital serve as top level medical referral system in the lower Myanmar by treating severy ill patients from several regions. However they are facing difficulties to provide high quality medical service due to those insufficient and antiquated equipments. - This project aims to provide necessary medical equipment to both Yangon General Hospital and new Yangon Geenral Hospital. It is expected to contribute to improve medical service of those hospitals being able to serve as top quality hospitals in the lower Myanmar.

(2) The Project for Improvement of Road Construction and Maintenance Equipment in Rakhine State (amount to JPY 738 million):
• - Although Myanmar is awaited to realize further economic development not only in urban zones but also rural areas, delayed road development network constitute one of the obstacles.
• - Rakhine State, in west part of Myanmar, is knows as a region of long standing conflict and divisiviness. It suffers inadequate road infrastructure which is essential service to local livlihoods and rural development.
• - This project aims to provide necessary road construction and maintenance equipment in Rakhine State. It is expected to contribute to activation of traffic of human, goods and finance, which makes economic activities revitalized, and improvement of local citizens livelihoods.