The primary objective of the IESIA study was to identify whether there were any potential adverse environmental or social impacts associated with the proposed expansion of the existing facilities operations that required further more detailed assessment and evaluation in a full ESIA, and to assess whether the operations and activities at the Project site were in compliance with the relevant Myanmarese environmental and social legislation and regulations. Furthermore the IESIA study was conducted and reported in accordance with the requirements of:

· EIA Division; Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC)
· Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC)
· International Finance Corporation (IFC) 2012 Performance Standards 1—8
· International Finance Corporation (IFC) 2007 EHS General Guidelines

The IESIA study comprised of a project site and environs reconnaissance, interviews with key informants, preliminary consultations with members of the existing workforce and project affected people (PAP) from the local community as well as the retrieval and analysis of secondary data pertaining to the physical and biological environment in the Project site area.

The IESIA culminated in costed recommendations for the development of an Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan (ESMMP) to mitigate the predicted project impacts. The IESIA report was submitted to the MIC and MONREC in support of the client’s application for investor privileges under the Foreign Investment Law 2012. The ESIA was subsequently approved by MIC and MONREC and the client was granted investor privileges.