Yangon, March 23 (IANS) Myanmar will host the ASEAN Leadership Forum related to the 24th Summit of the ASEAN in its capital Nay Pyi Taw in May, official media reported Sunday. The annual forum is slated for May 11-12.
At the forum, heads of states and government, entrepreneurs and experts will focus on regional challenges, ASEAN cooperation in 2015 and progress of the region and globe, Xinhua reported, citing the official report.
For the successful holding of the ASEAN leadership forum, Myanmar’s Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute have signed a memorandum of understanding.
Meanwhile, an ASEAN People’s Forum has been underway in Yangon since Friday under the theme of ‘Advancing ASEAN Peoples’ Solidarity Toward Sustainable Peace, Development, Justice and Democratization’.
The event attracted nearly 3,000 civil society representatives from across 10 ASEAN countries as well as just a little decade-old Timor Leste. They are expected to attend a range of programmes, events and workshops on a variety of ASEAN issues.
Earlier this week, Myanmar hosted an ASEAN Youth Forum which called for establishing a Myanmar Youth Centre in Yangon designed for more involvement of youth in the country’s reform process and for conveying the youth’s views to the government.
Myanmar takes the rotating chair of ASEAN this year for the first time since joining the grouping in 1997.
The ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.