Construction Jobs Erased in Myanmar Amid Covid, Political Woes
- About 650,000 workers have lost jobs in past year, group says
- Revival of sector could take three years if support is lacking
A soldier guards a road amid demonstrations against the military coup, in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, in February.
Source: AFP/Getty Images
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Myanmar’s construction industry is reeling from the twin blows of the coronavirus pandemic and a military takeover in February, with developers forced to dismiss hundreds of thousand workers from stalled projects.
It may take the industry at least three years to “return to normal,” according to Myo Myint, general secretary of Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Federation. More jobs are at risk if the authorities fail to contain the spread of Covid-19 and minimize its impact on one of the leading job providers in the country, he said.