USAID Private Sector Development Activity FY16 Q2 Quarterly Report

The project was awarded to Nathan Associates on July 1, 2015, and will run through September 30, 2018, with a possible 2-year extension. The project's objectives are to create more inclusive and transparent economic governance processes and increase access to finance for emerging economic actors. The project's quarterly report for January 1 to March 31, 2016, highlights several key activities undertaken during this period. One of the notable achievements was the preparation, publication, and presentation to Ministry of Finance leadership of the Myanmar Microfinance Association's White Paper: Policy Reform Recommendations to Accelerate Microfinance in Myanmar. This white paper aimed to accelerate microfinance in Myanmar by providing policy reform recommendations. The project also organized two Economic Dialogues with the National League for Democracy's Economic Committee and lead economic experts among the donors. These dialogues were held on January 18 and February 19, 2016, and focused on key economic policy challenges, including modernizing the public finance system, stabilizing macroeconomic management, accelerating agricultural development, and building the needed infrastructure to support inclusive growth. In addition, the project supported the development of a new Food Law and Law on Medical Devices by organizing workshops to build consensus on including international best practices and principles in drafting these laws. The project also made solid initial progress in generating interest for its grants program. The project continued to support the implementation of research work on drivers of inclusive economic growth funded by the USAID Economic Reform and ASEAN Integration program (US-ACTI-ERA). This research activity was strategic for helping the project (and USAID) to be prepared to respond to new reform opportunities arising with the new government. The project achieved several deliverables during this quarter, including supporting 27 workshops, seminars, and trainings with 1,115 participants (376 female and 739 male). The project also published 350 copies of two White Papers. The project's progress in implementing its ambitious agenda of reforms and capacity building was strong, with deliverables achieved in several issue areas, including developing a more transparent, participatory, and effective economic policy-making process. The project's work in facilitating research and dialogue on economic reform and inclusive development in Burma was significant, with the organization of an intensive two-day workshop on January 13-14 with the authors of 11 studies and USAID experts on key sectors affecting inclusive growth in Burma. The project also worked to facilitate dialogue among a number of donors with NLD economic policy leadership and to support the development of a strong reform agenda for the new government. Overall, the project made significant progress in implementing its objectives and achieving its deliverables during the quarter. The project's work in facilitating research and dialogue on economic reform and inclusive development in Burma was particularly notable, with several key activities undertaken during this period.