George Soros to Open Myanmar Base for His Philanthropic Work

George Soros, the billionaire investor, “has agreed to set up an official base for his philanthropic work in Myanmar after meetings with the country’s president and Aung San Suu Kyi,” rpeorts the Jakarta Globe. Soros funds pro-democracy initiatibves in Burma, travelled to the “army-dominated country in his capacity as a philanthropist.” Following his December 26 to January 3 trip to Burma, also known as Myanmar, “Soros said he planned to establish an ‘official presence’ in the country to aid the transition from a closed to a more open society.”

“My foundations have been supporting the democracy movement for 20 years, but this was my first meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi. I have been and remain very much guided by her vision in my involvement in Burma,” Soros said. “He added that talks with opposition leader Suu Kyi included “a wide ranging discussion about the reform process.”

Soros, who is one ofthe world’s richest men, has made billions investing – his call against the British Sterling in the early 1990s alone made $1 billion, earning him the moniker of “The Man Who Broke the Bank of England” – but he has also given away billions to philanthriopic causes, largely through his Open Society Foundations group. Soros’ Open Society has actively “funded a number of projects in Burma since 1994, with a focus on increasing international awareness of conditions in the country and providing assistance to marginalized ethnic minorities, women, and young people.”