Myanmar to host ASEAN leadership forum in May

YANGON (Xinhua) - Myanmar will host ASEAN Leadership Forum related to the 24th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Nay Pyi Taw in May, official media reported Sunday.

The annual forum is slated for May 11 to 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, the report said.

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 in preparation for the move.

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 Timor Leste. They are expected to attend a range of programs, 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 Center in Yangon designed for more involvements of youth in the country's reform process and for conveying the youth's advices to the government.

Myanmar takes the rotating chair of ASEAN this year for the first time after joining ASEAN in 1997.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.