Commander of the Armed Forces Met with Aung San Suu Kyi
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Military Commander-in-Chief met with Aung San Su Kyi, chairperson of National League of Democracy (NLD) party to discuss the transfer of power to the new goverment, the rule of law and the ongoing process to create a lasting peace in a friendly and open way. Military may hold sway over the selection of the next president and Min Aung Hlaing has secured his position as military commander for another five-year term. The two met previously on December 2 and January 25 to discuss a peaceful transfer of power to the NLD from the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).
Vice President Met with UNFPA Delegation
Vice President Dr. Sai Mauk Kham received a delegation from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) at the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw. The Vice President discussed with Yoriko Yasukawa, Director of UNFPA’s Asia-Pacific Regional Office on continued cooperation in the process of the 2014 Myanmar Population & Housing Census and the importance of the 8th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights. Deputy Ministers Thant Kyaw and Win Myint as well as other officials were in attendance.
Vice President Met with Japanese Economic Delegation
Vice President Nyan Tun received a Japanese delegation led by Takayuki Ueda, Vice Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan at the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw.
During the meeting they discussed the completion of the Thilawa Special Economic Zone Phase 1 project, trilateral cooperation among Myanmar, Japan and Thailand in developing the Dawei SEZ, promotion of supportive industries to encourage SEZ growth and bilateral cooperation in the areas of strengthening infrastructure development, financial supports, human resources, information exchange and competiveness for development of small and medium enterprises.
Deputy Ministers, Thant Kyaw and Han Sein, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Set Aung and officials from Embassy of Japan attended the meeting.
UEC National Post Election Review Conference
Lessons learned from the 2015 elections and the way forward in the next parliamentary period will be at the heart of discussions at the National Post Election Conference in Yangon of the Union Election Commission. The multi-stakeholder conference (held on february 29 and march 1) will result in a report that will serve as the basis for election law reform and an update of the strategy of the Union Election Commission.
The results of the November 8 elections were not only historical, the elections also were more professional and transparent than ever before. The UEC faced large technical and logistical challenges in the run-up to the elections. Voter lists had to be verified and updated, ballots printed, secured and distributed, observers accredited, voters educated and candidates registered. Nonetheless, the elections, which took place only months after a flood disaster struck the country, unfolded successfully.
The National Post Election Conference, which took place at the Park Royal Hotel in Yangon, is the culmination of the mandate of the current Board of Election Commissioners under the leadership of Chairman Tin Aye. All stakeholders involved in the election process – the UEC and several other administrations, CSOs, the media, and political parties – will participate.
The attendees would reflect the topics on election security, accreditation of observers, minority inclusion, campaign finance, voter education, voter list and election legal framework.
The National Post Election Review Conference is organized by the Union Election Commission with joint support of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), which both have been providing embedded assistance to the UEC through the 2015 elections cycle.
