Prof. Hidetoshi Nishimura, Executive Director of ERIA was invited to participate in the 22nd World Economic Forum on East Asia on June 6-7, 2013 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

After a series of bold economic and political reforms in Myanmar, the meeting was the first leading international gathering of senior decision-makers from industry, government, academia and civil society to be held in the country. As Myanmar assumes the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014, it will have a critical role in guiding the ten ASEAN member economies toward the planned economic integration in 2015. In this regard, the meeting provided value not only to participants from the ASEAN region, but also to those who see in ASEAN an important evolving geopolitical and geo-economic pillar of the global economy.The main theme of the forum was Courageous Transformation for Inclusion and Integration and the forum brought over 900 participants including over 500 business leaders from 55 countries.

During the event, Prof. Nishimura met with several Ministers including H.E. Mr. Keat Chhon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance of Cambodia and H.E. Mr. Kittirat Na Ranong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Thailand and reported them ERIA's recent progress and achievements. He also expressed his sincere appreciation to the Ministers for all the support extended to ERIA and reported about his reappointment as Executive Director for another five-year term. H.E. Mr Keat Chhon appreciated ERIA's contribution to the Summit activities through its research and policy recommendations during the Cambodia's time as the chair of ASEAN. Prof. Nishimura explained about latest ERIA Policy Brief on "Dawei Revisited: Reaffirmation of the importance of the project in the era of reforms in Myanmar" to H.E. Mr. Kittirat Na Ranong and both parties discussed the importance of international cooperation especially between Myanmar and Thailand in helping Myanmar and the Dawei project.

Photo below (left): with H.E. Mr. Keat Chhon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance of Cambodia

Photo below (right): with Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, the Secretary-General of UNCTAD (2nd from the left) and Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of UNESCAP (2nd from the right)