The Fourth ASEAN Plus Three Ministerial Meeting on Youth (4th AMMY+3) was held in Brunei Darussalam on 23 May 2013. The Meeting was held in conjunction with the Eighth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Youth (AMMY VIII) and was preceded by ASEAN Plus Three Preparatory Senior Officials Meeting on Youth on 21 May 2013.
The Ministers met to exchange views on youth cooperation between ASEAN and the Plus Three countries, and to explore further possibilities to strengthen cooperation among youth in the East Asian region.
The Meeting was officiated and chaired by H.E. Pehin Dato Hazair Abdullah, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Brunei Darussalam. In his opening address, he welcomed all Ministers and their delegations to the meeting and to Brunei Darussalam. He noted the recent development in youth affairs in the region and reiterated the important role of the youth in ASEAN cooperation towards the achievement of an ASEAN Community by 2015.
The meeting was co-chaired by Japan.
The Ministers noted the relevant decisions of 15th ASEAN Plus Three Summit, and other ASEAN meetings with China, Japan and Republic of Korea since their last meeting in 2011.
The Ministers noted the steady progress of youth cooperation activities in the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan 2007-2017.
The Ministers recognised the active roles that youth have been playing to mark the 15th Anniversary of the ASEAN Plus Three cooperation in 2012. The Ministers noted the outcomes of the “APT Youth Leaders’ Symposium” held on 18-19 October 2012 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and the preparation of “The ASEAN+3 Eco-Tourism Event for Youth”.
The ASEAN Ministers highlighted the need to continue engagement with youth at all levels in building ASEAN today, and empower them to being our tomorrow’s leaders. In this connection, the ASEAN Ministers exchanged views on the future priority areas of ASEAN Plus Three cooperation on youth, and stressed on the importance of fostering long-term and mutually beneficial youth relationships through effective and practical youth cooperation activities in line with the guidance given by the ASEAN Plus Three Leaders.
The ASEAN Ministers expressed their appreciation to the Plus Three countries for their excellent support and friendship in organising youth programmes, including 2012 China-ASEAN Youth Camp, China-ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Exchange Programme, ASEAN Youth Leaders Training Programme by China, and GMS Youth Friendship Programme by China and Thailand; the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP), which celebrate its 40th commemorative year along with the 40th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, Kizuna (Bond) Project, and Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Program by Japan, and a series of activities of the ASEAN-Korea Future-Oriented Youth Exchange Programme by Korea in 2012.
The Meeting noted that a new phase of ASEAN-China Youth Camp and ASEAN Youth Leaders Training Programme will be implemented by China; the second installment of the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS 2.0) by Japan; and the 4th ASEAN-Korea Frontier Forum (AKFF) by ROK in 2013. The Ministers were of view that these will help to further strengthen cooperation among youth between ASEAN and the Plus Three countries, and promote our relations to a higher and more strategic level.
The Ministers of China, Japan and Korea noted the desire and commitment of ASEAN towards youth development and promoting their roles to build ASEAN of tomorrow, and agreed that the youthare not only key stakeholders in the future of ASEAN but also in a larger East Asia context.
The Ministers from China, Japan and Korea acknowledged new initiatives of ASEAN, including the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme (AYVP), ASEAN Young Professional Volunteer initiatives, and the ASEAN Youth Programme Fund. They shared views in realizing these initiatives through which it will promote greater awareness of ASEAN youth, and engage ASEAN youth on different platforms in promoting social dialogues and people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and the Plus Three countries.
The Ministers looked forward to engaging more youth cooperation in efforts to building peace, stability and a brighter future for younger generations in East Asia.
The 5th AMMY+3 meeting is scheduled to be held in 2015 in Cambodia.
The Ministers expressed their appreciation to Brunei Darussalam for its hospitality as the host of 4th AMMY+3.
