Yangon--27 Sept 2013: Myanmar's journalists today attended the one-day workshop specifically designed to improve their ability to cover and articulate issues related to the ASEAN Chair 2014.

The ERIA Media workshop was organized by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and supported by Myanmar's Journalists Association, Mizzima Media Group, DVB Media Group and Bangkok Research Center, JETRO.

"This workshop is very special for the media in Myanmar. Journalists over here will learn about challenges faced by the chair next year. Our experts will address key issues journalists should know," said Mr. Yasushi Iwata, General Manager of ERIA.

"Let us acknowledge that ASEAN is at a challenging stage, intensifying efforts towards AEC 2015 and at the same it needs to start thinking and prepare itself for beyond 2015. ERIA will continue to work closely with Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and will further deepen its communication with various institutes to make valuable policy recommendations with its utmost efforts towards the establishment of ASEAN Community by 2015," Prof. Yasuhiro Yamada, Special Assistant to the Executive Director of ERIA and President of Bangkok Research Center (BRC), JETRO, expected the ERIA's further contribution to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and ERIA.

"Myanmar's turn to take the alternate chair of the group, has returned to her again for the second time. It's in 2014. What we should bear in mind is these opportunies and challenges are not only for the ruling government, but also for the entire people, including we journalists," U Aung Hla Tun, Executive Committee Member of Myanmar Journalists Association (MJA)- stressed the oppurtunity brought by the Myanmar's ASEAN Chair in his opening remark.

The workshop titled "Challenges Ahead: Myanmar's ASEAN 2014 and Beyond" touched on the three pillars of ASEAN Community--economic, political and security, socio and culture. Dr. Hank Lim, Chairperson of ERIA Academic Advisory Council, Prof. Fukunari Kimura, Chief Economist of ERIA and Dr. Fauziah Zen ERIA researchers and Mr. Kavi Chongkittavorn ERIA Senior Advisor discussed the implications of Myanmar's chair, Myanmar Comprehensive Development Vision, ASEAN Connectivity and Public Private Partnership.

After the reform in 2011, Myanmar's media community has enjoyed openness and freedom to cover daily news both domestic and international issues. As the next year's ASEAN chair, local journalists are paying attention to issues within ASEAN and Myanmar.

ERIA has also trained officials from various ministries in Nay Pyi Taw in its capacity-building program.

A total of 100 journalists including printed and electronic media, bloggers and interested freelance writers attended the workshop.

Two workshops - one on economic and the other on political and security - are scheduled specifically to assist journalists to write and follow-up issues in these areas moderated by experts as resource persons.

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Opportunities and Challenges Ahead: Myanmar's ASEAN Chair 2014