The former Kachin State minister of natural resources and the environment was appointed the chairperson of the state’s ethnic affairs committee in parliament on Thursday.

H La Awng resigned from his previous position with the natural resources ministry by order of the President on January 21 in order to take up the new post this month.

The state parliament approved his appointment after there were no objections in the legislative session.

“I’m happy to have this job, because it is related to the parliament and to ethnic affairs,” H La Awng told KNG. “I will try to find out how many new ethnic tribes are living in Kachin State. I will try my best to strengthen the country for diverse ethnic people.”

The former minister, who also goes by Hkyeng La Awng, added that he would refrain from focusing on “sensitive issues” within the Kachin community and would focus mainly on “unity in diversity.”