Key facts
- Myanmar's government plans to restart the Myitsone dam project.
- The Myitsone dam project is valued at $3.6 billion.
- The project is backed by China.
- The dam project was suspended in 2011.
- The suspension in 2011 was due to public outcry.
- Myanmar's junta chief Min Aung Hlaing visited China.
- The government aims to restart the project within eight years.
- The Myitsone dam would be one of Southeast Asia's largest hydropower facilities if completed.
Myanmar's government has announced plans to resume the controversial Myitsone dam project, a significant China-backed initiative valued at $3.6 billion. The project, which was suspended in 2011 following widespread public opposition, is now slated for a restart within the next eight years. This decision emerged from discussions held during the recent visit of Myanmar's junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, to China. The Myitsone dam, once completed, is projected to become one of the largest hydropower facilities in the Southeast Asian region. The suspension in 2011 was a response to considerable public outcry over environmental and social concerns associated with the dam's construction. The renewed commitment to the project signals a shift in Myanmar's development priorities under the current military government, with a focus on energy infrastructure and international partnerships, particularly with China.