Myanmar has been temporarily suspended since 18 February 2021. Following a coup d’état on 1 February, the EITI Board concluded that it was not possible to envisage the EITI operating under the current circumstances.  ​

Myanmar's natural resources include oil and gas, minerals and gems. According to the latest EITI report (covering FY 2017-2018) the extractive sector accounted for 4.8% of Gross Domestic Production (GDP), 5.2% of State revenue and 35% of total exports in 2017-2018. 

Myanmar published its first commodity trading report which covers sales revenues from the oil and gas sectors performed during the fiscar year 2017-2018. According to the data received from MOGE, the revenue from the commodity trading after reconciliation amounted to MMK 1,179,195 million (aprox. USD 900 million or 60% of total revenue from the extractive sector) in 2017-2018.

The Myanmar government's 12-point Economic Policy accentuates the strategic role of EITI in the reform process, specifically in natural resource governance. The EITI has been a platform for vibrant discussions on issues around revenue sharing, state-owned enterprises, and the need for a unified mineral cadastre system. The EITI is also stimulating public debate and shedding light on lost revenues from the gems and jade sector. According to the fifth Myanmar EITI Report, the value of gems and jade sold through the emporium in 2017-2018 was estimated at EUR 825 167 206. However, a study commissioned by Myanmar EITI in 2016 estimated that 60-80% of gemstones produced in the country are not declared and therefore bypass the formal system.

In 2018, the Government of Myanmar created a Beneficial Ownership (BO) Task Force composed of representatives from relevant government agencies, in order to provide leadership and direction to the country’s efforts on beneficial ownership disclosure.

Two years later, in February 2020, the Government of Myanmar and Myanmar EITI co-launched a new beneficial ownership register on the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration’s website.

The registry enables users to search mining, oil and gas companies for the identities of individuals owning shares of 5% or more in these companies. Out of the 163 extractive companies that were requested to disclose their beneficial owners through the online form, 121 companies, including four state-owned enterprises, submitted a form with information about their ownership structure.

Additional companies in scope of the 5^th EITI report (FY 2017-18) will be included in the registry when a new data collection round commences later this year.

Addressing legal barriers to contract transparency has been on Myanmar EITI’s agenda since it began implementing the EITI in 201. Myanmar issued a government regulation on 15 December requiring the disclosure of oil, gas and mining contracts in the country that are entered into or amended by 1 January 2021. The requirement applies to all contracts carried out by the Union, states, regions, government departments, state-owned enterprises and private companies. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Ministry of Energy are tasked with implementing the regulation.

EITI reports have found that potential revenue from minerals are lost due to weak governance of the extractive industries.  Recommendations from the latest EITI reports included the strengthening of the institutional capacities of the IRD by establishing an Extractive Industry Revenue Unit, improving data availability and accessibility, and developing better systems for the certification, traceability and valuation of the gemstones, and reforming the governance of SOEs. 

The EITI encourages multi-stakeholder groups to explore innovative approaches to make the EITI more relevant and useful.

• Myanmar published its first commodity trading report which covers sales revenues from the oil and gas sectors performed during the fiscar year 2017-2018. A second commodity trading report is being discussed. 

• EITI subnational units have been established in Mandalay, Magway, Rakhine and Shan.