What are the political and economic challenges facing Myanmar as it opens to the world? And what are the opportunities and responsibilities for the international community to influence and also invest in the country?This book aims to provide readers with an assessment that integrates analysis with on-the-ground experience and insights, drawn from closely engaging with Myanmar since the country began to move towards democracy and open to the world. In order for readers to appreciate emerging trends and developments, the book evaluates the efforts of the recent Thein Sein administration and current National League of Democracy government up to the present day. It also identifies key events from the colonial period through to the decades when the country was under military rule, cut off from much of the international community. The on-going crisis in Myanmar's Rakhine State and the controversial situation of the Rohingya are examined at length, with an effort to contextualise these events in wider challenges of geopolitics and national reforms to rehabilitate the government and the economy.The book presents readers with a clear view of how the country might progress beyond current obstacles, and highlights the opportunities that remain for those willing to engage constructively for the longer term in the opening of this frontier economy and once-pariah state. As Myanmar moves ahead with its transition to democracy and with economic development, this book is recommended for both those who watch the country with interest and those who consider the ways in which the international community interacts with the region and Myanmar.Contents:Myanmar and the World — From Cox's Bazar to the Western CapitalsFrom Pariah to Frontier EconomyDemocracy's Victory and the Uncertainties of GoverningEconomic Reform: Finding Direction, Moving ForwardShifting Images of the Golden LandThe Simple and Complex Rohingya CrisisGeopolitics and the Rohingya: Managing the UnsolvedBeyond a Hollywood Ending
Readership: Myanmar watchers and those with a casual interest in the region.Myanmar;Burma;ASEAN;Southeast Asia;International Relations;Business;Politics;Economics0Key Features:Looks past recent controversial headlines to examine issues that are of direct relevance to the investment and business environment of MyanmarCombines an outsider's point of view with insider knowledge accrued from extensive on-the-ground experience in Myanmar since the country's opening in 2011Weaves into its analysis a concise but informative summary of relevant historical factors dating back to the Colonial period in Myanmar's history