Myanmar to hold 2 second Development Cooperation Forum on Monday

Myanmar is set to hold its Second Development Cooperation Forum in Nay Pyi Taw starting next Monday, which will gather together development partners, non-governmental and social organizations and United Nation agencies. Organized by the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development, the forum will discuss logistics and administrative arrangement, according to local media. The First Development Cooperation Forum was held in January last year, in which economic and social reform framework and short- and long-term plans were laid down. Separately, the Myanmar government has tasked four groups to implement 55 proposals presented through the People's Forum, state media reported Friday. The proposals are related to human rights and equality, development, peace and democratization, Vice President Sai Mauk Kham was quoted as saying. Some of the proposals call for protection of human rights, women and children's rights and formation of an organization to deal with public complaints and other legal matters, while some focus on the elimination of gambling, employment, disaster prevention, education for ethnic people and health care. Myanmar held the People's Forum last December in preparation for hosting the ASEAN People's Forum as Myanmar is to serve as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2014.