NAY PYI TAW: U Htin Kyaw of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and a confidante of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, was sworn in on Wednesday as Myanmar’s new president, sources said Wednesday.
Kyaw, 70, took the oath as the new President in a joint session of Myanmar’s Parliament with his two vice presidents, military-assigned First Vice President U Myint Swe and second vice president of the NLD U Henry Van Thio.
Htin Kyaw, repeating after Speaker Mann Win Khaing Than, held: “I, Htin Kyaw, will be loyal to the union and the people of the union, and I will respect this constitution and the laws of the nation.”
NLD Chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi has been appointed the country’s new foreign minister, however, she will concurrently hold three other portfolios in the new government including the President’s Office minister, education minister and minister of electricity and energy.
According to media reports, Htin Kyaw is the first civilian president of Myanmar and the head of its first government to be elected in free and fair polls.