96043
                                            Myanmar

                          Country Partnership Framework FY15-17

                                        Chair Summary*

                                         April 23, 2015


       Executive Directors welcomed the discussion of the joint IDA/IFC/MIGA Country
Partnership Framework (CPF) for Myanmar for the period FY2015 to FY2017, the first full
country strategy for Myanmar since 1984. Directors noted that the CPF has been informed by a
comprehensive Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) and consultations with a broad range of
stakeholders to identify key challenges facing Myanmar in reducing extreme poverty and boosting
shared prosperity.

        Directors commended Myanmar’s recent economic strides and commitment to reform and
development. They noted the alignment of the CPF with the country’s key priorities and priorities
identified in the SCD. Directors highlighted the importance of sustained and inclusive growth to
accelerate poverty reduction. They supported the strategic engagement areas in the CPF: reducing
rural poverty; investing in people and effective institutions for people; and supporting a dynamic
private sector. Directors also welcomed the CPF’s integration of cross-cutting areas that address
key development challenges: gender, climate change, governance, and fragility. Directors noted
the Government’s leadership in donor coordination, welcoming the alignment of the CPF with the
Myanmar Development Cooperation Forum and sector working groups. They welcomed the
modernization of public financial systems and improvements in public administration and macro-
fiscal management during the CPF period.

         Directors emphasized the potential of the World Bank Group to assist Myanmar in capacity
building and human development, building data, effective aid coordination, and regional
integration. They strongly supported efforts for inclusion and empowerment of citizens,
particularly vulnerable groups, women, ethnic minorities, and rural populations. They noted the
potential of universal social protection and broader access to social services and finance for
sustained development and poverty reduction. Directors supported the provision of financing and
intensive knowledge products during the CPF period, recognizing Myanmar’s limited institutional
and absorptive capacity and knowledge and data gaps. They urged a selectivity approach that
incorporates knowledge gained under the CPF, joint programming with development partners, and
comparative advantage, emphasizing the centrality of poverty reduction and building sound
institutions and capacity.

        Directors emphasized investment in key sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, natural
resources, and tourism for their potential to enhance productivity, job creation, water use, and
financial inclusion. They underscored the importance of the World Bank Group delivering
integrated development solutions for Myanmar, with strong private sector development support
from the IFC and MIGA. They welcomed a robust results framework as a tool for ensuring
accountability and transparency and looked forward to the performance and learning review for
the CPF.

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*This summary is not an approved record