The eight armed ethnic organisations that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement on 15 October 2015 marked the occasion yesterday at the Myanmar International Convention Centre 1 (MICC-1) in Naypyitaw.
President Thein Sein made the nationwide ceasefire a key platform for his reformist agenda after taking power in 2011 and Aung San Suu Kyi has made it a priority of the current government.
According to a Xinhua report, Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi reiterated the government's welcome of non-signatory armed groups to the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) to join in the peace process by being inclusive in formulating the principles toward a democratic federal union in the future.
Attending the event were also President U Htin Kyaw, Vice Presidents U Myint Swe and U Henry Van Thio, Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and General Saw Mutu Sae Po, who is chairman of the Karen National Union (KNU) and represents signatory armed groups to the ceasefire agreement.