The speech delivered by Acting President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the opening ceremony of “Forum on the Dawn of a New State”

13 March 2026

 

Everybody, Mingalaba!

I would like to extend my warmest greetings and best wishes to all attendees of today’s “Fo-rum on the Dawn of a New State”, including members of the National Security and Peace Commission, Union Ministers, Union-level dignitaries, Hluttaw representatives from various Hluttaws, local and foreign scholars and experts, and all the distinguished guests with auspi-ciousness.

Today’s forum was held with four main objectives: to enable elected Hluttaw representatives to gain a broad perspective on the country’s political, economic, and social sectors and to anticipate the tasks they should participate in for national development; to provide guidance on approaches and effective legislation when drafting laws for the export/import and trade sectors contributing to the country’s economic growth; to inform those representatives about key considerations and international code of measures necessary for the development of a nation’s economic sector; and to facilitate cooperation among Hluttaw representatives to en-sure smooth and effective implementation of the new government’s Plans.

In fact, although this forum has been named “The Dawn of a New State”, it does not refer solely to a new physical “face” of the country. Rather, I would like to first clarify that it is intended to signify a new mindset, new people, new ideas, new landscapes and initiatives, new methods and approaches, new vision, and new mission.

As everyone knows, when we look back at our country’s Declaration of Independence, we can see that our national leaders were people who respected, valued, and safeguarded Inde-pendence, valued peace, and were committed to protecting and promoting world peace.

It can be seen that the Declaration states: “We will uphold the Independence and integrity of our great nation to the very end. In accordance with being an independent country, we will observe and adhere to the principles rightly upheld by all independent nations of the world. Just as we cherish our own independence, we will respect and safeguard the independence of others. Because we desire peace, we will join hands with peace-loving nations to protect and maintain world peace. Let it be known that this declaration of ours will be heard by the entire world.”

It is clear that this Declaration of Independence is not only a guide and responsibility for the citizens of the present generation but also a legacy that future generations of citizens should respect, uphold, and follow. Even though more than 80 years have passed since Independ-ence was achieved, we all continue to value, respect, and safeguard Myanmar’s independ-ence and sovereignty. It is well known that we are also actively participating in efforts to maintain internal peace and contribute to world peace.

 

Esteemed distinguished guests,

When looking back at the history of a nation, we must avoid extreme optimism and pessi-mism and instead analyze and interpret events with an objective outlook based on the true situation. Since gaining Independence, some have described Myanmar’s political journey as turbulent waves, while others have considered it a long and difficult path. Indeed, the politi-cal history of Myanmar after 1948 has been a mixture of both positive and negative devel-opments. At one point, it was even noted as having one of the longest-lasting internal armed conflicts in South-East Asia.

It can be observed that internal armed conflicts, which began just two months after Inde-pendence, have still not been fully resolved till today. The persistence of these conflicts can be attributed in part to some armed groups with self-interest–driven agendas, as well as to weaknesses in the implementation of national politics, which led to misunderstandings and misaligned beliefs and positions.

It is necessary for all citizens to recognize that national policy and national politics are more important than strata, ethnic, or ideological considerations. Looking at the national policies of any country, one can see that they are closely connected to the historical paths they have traversed and cannot be separated from them. I would like to emphasize that our country’s national policy and national politics are simply what we have always described as Our Three Main National Causes.

In reality, every war or armed conflict is never separate from politics, so solutions must be sought and negotiated through political means. Today, political freedoms already exist in our country. Matters that could not be spoken of before can now be openly discussed. Hopes that were once unimaginable can now be pursued, and even dreams that could not be dreamed before are now attainable. In other words, we have been able to systematically change to-wards the democratic system that countries around the world aspire to, bringing in new poli-tics and a new culture. In any case, I would like to say Tatmadaw has been able to initiate this democratic system desired by all citizens and has successfully carried out an important polit-ical transition.

We must all strive to integrate the political and economic progress we have achieved so far with the ongoing efforts to build peace. Although successive governments have strived to achieve internal peace, comprehensive and lasting success has not yet been possible due to internal and external disruptions and delays, as is widely known. In reality, achieving inter-nal peace requires not only a ceasefire but also efforts to resolve the root causes of armed conflicts. Therefore, solutions must be pursued through political means. It is important to continue fostering mutual respect, understanding, and compassion among ethnic groups, and to walk together on the path of “national solidarity” for the future of our nation and the next generation. So, we have already invited them and continue to extend the invitation to them.

 

Esteemed distinguished guests,

The foundation of a nation’s development lies in peace and stability, the rule of law, the de-velopment of human resources, and the existence of infrastructure. To maintain peace and stability, the Tatmadaw has, since 2012, conducted nationwide peace talks aimed at achiev-ing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). Our country is a union where ethnic breth-ren live together in unity. Therefore, we are committed to building a Union based on democ-racy and a federal system. Although we have been able to move towards a democratic sys-tem, weaknesses in maintaining democratic practices, lingering dissatisfaction over past events within various groups, agitation fuelled by political party attachment and personal cult, and actions that neglected national interests have weakened peace and stability. I would like to urge all that it is important to learn lessons from these weaknesses and to build a peaceful and stable social environment.

Only through the restoration of the rule of law, justice and social stability can it be ensured. Because the rule of law is essential for the foundation of development, we must all work to-gether to uphold it. Furthermore, we must ensure the enforcement of the rule of law and at the same time, we must carry out necessary reforms to establish good governance must be carried out. Only by taking these steps can the quality of public services be improved.

 

 

Esteemed distinguished guests,

In addition to peace and stability and the rule of law, it is also essential to develop human resources and to improve infrastructure for national development.

One of the main reasons for weak economic development is the lack of skilled professionals capable of leading the economy. As skills and techniques could be developed based on for-mal education, we must prioritize and actively support education. During our tenure, we studied and identified the needs related to the number of schools and education personnel, and we established polytechnic universities to increase the number of skilled youths for the future. Similarly, we also opened industrial, agricultural and livestock basic education high schools for the development of the agriculture and livestock sector. I would like to encour-age future Hluttaws and governments to continue supporting education for the next genera-tion.

Various types of infrastructure, such as electricity, transport facilities and inter-regional network links, and a strong digital communication system, are essential for national econom-ic development, production of goods and trading. Improving these cannot be achieved by a government alone; it requires the collective cooperation of local communities, organizations, and Hluttaw representatives. While the government is responsible for constructing infra-structure, it is also necessary for all local people to work together to ensure that they are not damaged, destroyed, or sabotaged by malicious actors.

 

Esteemed distinguished guests,

When drawing our country’s sustainable development plans, we should consider economic, security and technological aspects in a balanced manner across different sectors. In particu-lar, we need to make reforms to align with the changing global order (New World Order) in the economic sector. We must reduce excessive dependence on a single market, expand trade relations across regions, and promote regional economic integration to minimize potential losses caused by global disruptions. We must also cooperate to strengthen regional supply chains. If necessary, priority should be given to putting investments in the sectors critical to national interests and economic security, such as food security, energy, and technology.

In addition, technology and digital ownership are also key sectors that require significant in-vestment. Everyone must recognize that technology serves as a fundamental battlefield in the competitive landscape of the multipolar world. In particular, artificial intelligence (AI), sem-iconductors, and cybersecurity are the technological fields that will play decisive roles in the future.

Because of these characteristics, everyone knows every country is actively working to not only develop but also enhance its domestic technological capabilities. In addition, depend-ence on foreign technologies can be reduced by supporting research, innovation, and in-vestment in infrastructure, while cybersecurity and data protection can also be strengthened. We, too, must strive to keep pace with international technological standards and advance-ments.

Similarly, energy and resource security are additional issues that require careful considera-tion. The ability to access and utilize energy, water, and rare minerals is crucial for long-term stability. We must invest in renewable energy, nuclear power, and other diverse energy sources. As a precaution against potential disruptions caused by geopolitics, it is also neces-sary to ensure the security of rare minerals and food supplies.

Amid changing international conditions, Myanmar also faces numerous challenges as well as opportunities. I would like to emphasize that our government has been systematically carry-ing out efforts to maintain internal peace, sustain the flourishing of democracy, and imple-ment transformative reforms. While ensuring political stability, we are working for economic development. At the same time, we are linking economic progress with social development, promoting greater unity and social cohesion within Myanmar society.

We also believe and hope that Myanmar will receive even greater understanding, support, and assistance from the international community for its stability, the flourishing of democra-cy, and economic development.

 

Esteemed distinguished guests,

Since economic scholars and experts from China, India, Thailand, and Belgium are partici-pating in today’s forum, we believe they can provide significant support in shaping and building the “Dawn of a New State” of Myanmar for 2026.

I would like to express that we highly respect and value the sincere suggestions and the well-intentioned recommendations shared in this important forum.

In conclusion, we hope that the outcomes of this important forum will help support the beau-tiful shaping of Myanmar’s “Dawn of a New State”. In the near future, together with the new government, Myanmar will reach a new horizon – a new morning, a new State. In other words, the darkness will fade, giving way to the bright, golden light of a new era. At this aus-picious moment, may all Myanmar citizens experience unity, harmony, development, pros-perity, and freedom, and let us together build the Democratic Federal Union.

Thank you all.