JOINT MINISTERIAL STATEMENT OF THE THIRTEENTH ASEAN 

MINISTERIAL MEETING ON YOUTH (AMMY XIII) 

30 November 2024, Videoconference

WE, the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Youth met on 30 November 2024 via videoconference for the Thirteenth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Youth (AMMY XIII) under the chairpersonship of Myanmar. 

1. We congratulate Myanmar for successfully convening the AMMY XIII guided by the theme “Encouraging Youth’s Contribution Towards a Cohesive Society in ASEAN”. The theme underscores our shared view on the indispensable role of youth in ASEAN Community Building efforts in line with the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the development of the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision. 

2. We recall the commitment of ASEAN Leaders to promote the critical role of youth in socio-economic development and ASEAN Community Building in the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the Year of ASEAN Youth to Strengthen the Role of Youth in ASEAN Community Building, adopted at 40th and 41st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 11th November 2022. 

3. We commend the youth representatives of the 3rd ASEAN Youth Dialogue 2024 for effectively articulating their aspirations to the ASEAN Leaders during the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with ASEAN Youth, held on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits in October 2024. We hear the voices of ASEAN youth through the recommendations presented during the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with ASEAN Youth. 

4. We reaffirm the Joint Statement of ASEAN Youth Ministers on Enhancing Youth Cooperation for A Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community adopted at the 37th ASEAN Summit on 5th November 2020 under which ASEAN Youth Ministers committed to intensify the multilateral and bilateral youth initiatives for enhancing mutual understanding, fostering friendship bridges and strengthening mutual cooperation among ASEAN young population. 

5. We reiterate the importance of deepening greater awareness of ASEAN common identity and shared values, reinforcing a sense of belonging and togetherness, and cultivating an appreciation of diversity among ASEAN youth with a view to leverage their stronger collective strengths for better embracing current uncertainties and emerging megatrends in the years to come. In this regard, weheed the encouragement of developing existing frameworks and strategies to empower resilient, innovative, dynamic, and future-ready ASEAN youth. 

6. We are pleased to note the joint recommendation as the outcome of ASEAN Regional Dialogue on Young People’s Skills, Employability and Transition to Decent Work in ASEAN, held on 17-18 October 2023 through the cooperation of ASEAN Secretariat, UNICEF East Asia, and the Pacific (EAPRO) and International Labor Organization (ILO) and recognise the necessity to provide flexible and inclusive learning opportunities for out-of-school youth and to address gender barriers faced by adolescent girls and young women. In pursuit of this, we call formore comprehensive and strategic stakeholder engagement for advancing reskilling and upskilling, green, and digital skills in both education and labor markets. 

7. We note the successful implementation of the ASEAN Volunteers Project under the theme of “Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness” through the support of the Government of Japan with the collective efforts of the ASEAN Secretariat, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), and Host Organisations across ASEAN Member States. 

8. We commend the coordinated endeavors of the ASEAN Secretariat and Mekong Institute for empowering the ASEAN youth to voice their aspirations directly to the influential leaders within the ASEAN Community and inspiring them with the showcase of the exemplary journeys, achievements, and contributions made by the ASEAN Prize Recipients through convening ASEAN Youth Convergence 2024, in the light of Lao PDR Chairmanship. We support the continuation of the initiatives on the promotion of institutionalized mechanisms for strengthening the interactive communication between ASEAN leaders and ASEAN youth. 

9. We note the progress and achievements of the implementation of the ASEAN Work Plan on Youth (2021-2025) and recorded the importance of sustaining the benefits that were gained from the implementation of the post-2020 work plan. Welook forward to the development of the post-2025 ASEAN Work Plan on Youth aligned with post-2025 vision and strategies of ASEAN Community and remainsteadfast in our commitment to enhance the meaningful contribution of young people in building our expected ASEAN Community. 

10. We appreciate the continued support of ASEAN Partners in implementing digital skills initiatives for future-ready ASEAN youth, empowering and inspiring young people through volunteering activities and raising greater awareness of ASEAN Community among ASEAN young population, such as ASEAN Data Science Explorers (ADSE), Empowering Youth Across ASEAN (EYAA), ASEAN Youth Social Journalism Contest (AYSJ) and ASEAN Foundation Model ASEAN Meeting (AFMAM) by the ASEAN Foundation as well as the launch of the 2 nd ASEAN Youth Development Index by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 

11. Noting the publication of the 2nd ASEAN Youth Development Index Report across all social media platforms and on the ASEAN Website, we encourage ASEAN Member States, and ASEAN Entities, and ASEAN Partners to design and implement more evidence-informed youth development initiatives in both national and regional level. 

12. We note the successful utilisation of ASEAN Youth Programme Fund (AYPF) for the ASEAN Regional Dialogue on Young People’s Skills, Employability, and Transition to Decent Work in ASEAN in 2023 and ASEAN Youth Convergence in 2024. We remain committed to ensure effective utilisation and the sustainability of the fund. 

13. We extend our heartful appreciation to Myanmar for the chairpersonship and arrangements for the AMMY XIII. We welcome the Republic of the Philippines as the forthcoming Chair and agreed to meet again at the Fourteenth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Youth (AMMY XIV) in Philippines in the year of 2026.