Political Parties Group Elects 16 Permanent Working Committee Members

The second day of the meeting between the National Unity and Peacebuilding Coordination Committee and the Political Parties Group was held on September 18 at the Central Department for National Unity and Peacebuilding in Nay Pyi Taw, where it was learned that 16 permanent working committee members and 16 alternate members of the Political Parties Group were elected and approved. On the second day of the meeting, Chairman of the National Unity and Peacebuilding Coordination Committee, Lieutenant General La Pyae, discussed the conditions for the meeting between the NSPNC and political parties, the agenda for discussion and coordination, and the future peace process. Following this, Lieutenant General Aye Win (retired), a member of the Coordination Committee, explained the matter of electing the working committee of the Political Parties Group and the plan for voting, and representatives from the 32 political parties in the group attending the meeting also offered suggestions and discussed the voting plan. Subsequently, the political party representatives attending the meeting voted for the 16 permanent working committee members of the Political Parties Group, and the election advisory board for the Political Parties Group's working committee approved the selection of 16 permanent working committee members and 16 alternate members of the Political Parties Group. In the afternoon, attendees discussed matters related to further meetings with the working committee of the Political Parties Group, ways for political parties to participate in political discussions, the restoration of conflict-affected areas to their previous state, transitional processes for future peace processes, matters related to amending the 2008 constitution, relations between the Union government and state/region governments, and the role of political parties in promoting engagement with groups that have not yet participated in peace talks, as well as the matter of achieving a ceasefire through bilateral discussions. Following this, Lieutenant General Min Naing, Secretary of the Coordination Committee, reviewed and discussed matters from the two-day discussions, including constitutional and federal issues, the role of political parties, the connection between ceasefire and political dialogue, the security and socio-economic needs of local populations, the participation of women in the peace process, the utilization of experienced individuals from previous peace mechanisms, and international and diplomatic relations. Afterward, Dr. Aung Myat U, leader of the working committee of the Political Parties Group, and Lieutenant General La Pyae, Chairman of the National Unity and Peacebuilding Coordination Committee, delivered concluding remarks, respectively.