MoLA plans to open legal advocacy centre

Union Minister for Legal Affairs and Union Attorney-General Dr Thida Oo, stated that they are collaborating with the China-ASEAN Legal Research Centre on Myanmar’s legal issues and planning to open a legal advocacy centre.
The Ministry of Legal Affairs cooperates with foreign organizations in legal matters and is working to obtain technical and legal assistance. At present, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in legal affairs between the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Russian Prosecutor-General Office, the MoU with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, and the MoU on legal cooperation and legislative research projects between the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the China-ASEAN Legal Research Centre have been signed.
In addition, the Ministry is working to open a legal advocacy centre, and the standing order and the standard operating procedure for the legal advocacy centre have been drafted, she said at the third coordination meeting of the ministry in Nay Pyi Taw on 2 September.
The 2020–2024 Strategic Plan, entitled “Legal Service for Justice and Fairness”, is being implemented as a five-year plan. Currently, the mid-term evaluation work is being carried out to find out the development of the strategic plan, and if the report is released, it will be distributed to the relevant departments and advocate-general offices in regions and states.
Furthermore, 63 laws have been enacted in 2021, 40 in 2022 and 53 as of 30 June 2023, totalling 156 laws to date. As laws to be enacted in regions or states must be submitted to the State Administration Council Office, regional advocate-general offices will verify regional law drafts in accordance with six guidelines published by the Ministry of Legal Affairs.
The Legal Translation Commission discussed 10 laws at the commission’s 13th coordination meeting and is giving advice to relevant ministries regarding issues related to ASEAN, international law matters, and conventions. It is said that the Commission is also involved in ICJ matters. In addition, the legal advocacy training for senior civil servants was successfully opened up to three times, and 98 senior civil servants from various ministries were awarded Certificates of Legal Advocacy.
Deputy Minister Deputy Attorney General Dr Htein Lin Oo and regional and state Advocates-General participated in the discussions. — ASH/CT