30 July

Ministries held coordination meeting for the advance voting of Myanmar citizens living abroad for 2020 General Election at the respective embassies, and Permanent Representative offices and Consulates-General in foreign countries. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the meeting with the Ministry of International Cooperation yesterday afternoon. Union Minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin, Permanent Secretary U Soe Han, the directors-general and Electoral Coordination Committee members of the two ministries attended the meeting. 

At the meeting, Union Minister U Kyaw Tin urged Myanmar missions abroad to conduct voter awareness campaigns for Myanmar nationals living abroad, such as filling and submitting Form 15 before 5 August, not to lose their rights to vote, to send back the reviewed forms to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in timely manner, transport of ballot papers after secret voting to the MoFA, to report on preparations for advance voting procedures and to set up polling stations in accordance with the guidelines to protect the Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

Permanent Secretary U Soe Han and the directors-general from the respective departments discussed the advance voting for overseas Myanmar, plans for staff to vote locally, visit of international and local election observers and proposals of foreign missions/organizations to observe the elections.

Union Minister U Kyaw Tin advised to present the drafted plans for sending the Form 15, ballot-papers and casted ballots in time and safely by special flights and relief flights, to explain the guidelines of the advance voting by videoconferencing with Myanmar Ambassadors not to repeat mistakes as in the 2015 General Election, to expand polling stations with the approval of host countries and to help and support foreign embassies and international organizations in observing the elections.

MNA (Translated by Ei Phyu Phyu Aung)