Russia Signs MOU to Build Port, Oil Refinery in Myanmar

Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development announced on Sunday the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Myanmar.

The agreement, set in Myanmar’s Dawei Special Economic Zone, paves the way for major joint infrastructure projects, including the construction of a modern port, a coal-fired thermal power plant, and an oil refinery.

The MOU was signed by Russia’s Minister of Economic Development, Maksim Reshetnikov, and Myanmar’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, Kan Zaw, during a visit by a Russian delegation to the Southeast Asian nation.

This cooperation marks a deepening of ties, with Russia emerging as one of Myanmar’s closest allies following the military coup that ousted the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.

According to the official statement, the memorandum outlines the key criteria for several major infrastructure and energy projects to be executed jointly with Russian companies in Myanmar.

Reshetnikov stated, “The MOU contains the fundamental standards for a number of major projects in infrastructure and energy.”

While plans include building a port and a coal-fired power station, he noted that the oil refinery project remains under detailed economic review due to its complexity.

Interfax further reported that Russian companies are still evaluating the economic feasibility of the refinery, given the challenging nature of the project.

The Dawei Special Economic Zone, spanning 196 square kilometers along the Andaman Sea, is designed to host high-tech industrial zones, transport hubs, IT centers, and export processing facilities