12th ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting, 22nd ASEAN Senior Law Officials Meeting held

The 12th ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting (ALAWMM) and the 22nd ASEAN Law Officials Meeting (ASLOM) hosted by Myanmar were held via videoconference from 23 to 25 January 2024. During those two meetings, Union Minister and Attorney-General of the Union Dr Thi Da Oo acted as the chairperson in the 12th ALAWMM and Deputy Minister and Deputy Attorney-General Dr Htain Linn Oo acted as the chairperson of the 22nd ASLOM, respectively.
Judicial Law Ministers, Attorneys-General, senior law officials from the ASEAN Member States and officials from the ASEAN Secretariat attended these meetings. Along with them, directors-general, deputy directors-general and directors from the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, attended the meetings virtually.
Union Minister and Attorney General of the Union Dr Thi Da Oo delivered the opening remark at the 22nd ASLOM meeting. In her opening speech, she expressed gratitude to the ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secretariat for allowing Myanmar to hold this meeting. She appreciated the 21st ASLOM Chair Mr Brigido J Dulay, Undersecretary of the Department of Justice of the Philippines, for hosting the previous meeting and congratulated him for his outstanding chairmanship. In addition, she acknowledged the development of the ASLOM meeting. She suggested that ASLOM colleagues consider closer legal cooperation to implement the strategic plan of the ASEAN Political-Security Community. Lastly, she expressed her expectation that as the ASLOM plays an important role in developing the legal environment of ASEAN Member States, the fruitful result will emerge from this meeting.
The 12th ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting (ALAWMM) was held on 25 January 2024 through videoconferencing. Union Minister and Attorney General of the Union Dr Thi Da Oo conducted as chairperson and delivered opening remarks.
In her speech, she expressed her heartfelt appreciation and was delighted to act as the chairperson of the 12th ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting (ALAWMM) on behalf of Myanmar. She congratulated Malaysia for chairing the 11th ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting. She stated that Myanmar fully respects the principles of sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, non-interference, consensus and unity diversity under the ASEAN Charter.
Additionally, Myanmar has worked hand-in-hand with ASEAN Member States to build a thriving ASEAN community and regional integration. She congratulated all the members for successfully holding the 22nd ASLOM in the last two days. In addition, she also explained that the State Administration Council re-constituted the Attorney-General Office into the Ministry of Legal Affairs (MoLA) under Article 419 of the Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on 30 August 2021.
The Ministry of Legal Affairs is the only ministry that interacts with the State’s Legislative, Executive and Judicial organs. She said that she is acting as the chairperson of the Law Translation Commission, the Bar Council, the Union Coordination Body for the Rule of Law Centres and Justice Sector Affairs and the ASEAN Law Association (ALA-Myanmar). She also shared the activity of MoLA, which has been implemented under the 2020-2024 strategic plan with the theme “Legal Services for Justice”.
The Ministry of Legal Affairs has conducted legal cooperation in the ASEAN Region and internationally. In addition, she expressed that the 12th ALAWMM is an opportunity for Law Ministers to interact and exchange views with each other and to strengthen cooperation within the ASEAN region. Thus, the outcomes of the 12th ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting will contribute to greater understanding among ASEAN Law Ministers to achieve the common goals under the ASEAN Charter.
Furthermore, she highlighted that there have been increasing online meetings today as this practice saves time and budget. Therefore, she suggested that the ALAWMM, the regional virtual practice, should strengthen among us for further legal cooperation.
During the 22nd ASLOM, the matters related to the progress of the ASEAN Extradition Treaty, legal issues of the ASEAN Member States, harmonization of the ASEAN trade law, ASEAN legal information authority, transfer of sentenced persons between ASEAN Member States, crime prevention and justice, judicial cooperation among ASEAN Member States, mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters, liberalization of legal professions, ASEAN Law Association and the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters has been deliberated. At the 12th ALAWMM, ASEAN Law Ministers from the ASEAN Member States discussed the matters of the adoption of the reports of the 21st and 22nd ASLOM, the determination of the time and venue for the 13th ALAWMM, discussing the Joint Communique of the meeting, and considering to adopt the report of the 12th ALAWMM. — MNA