Standing Secretary of the HCYU Central Committee and President of the Vietnam Youth Federation Nguyen Anh Tuan (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The National Committee on Youth ofVietnam (NCYV) and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) CentralCommittee jointly held an online ASEAN Youth Leaders’ Conference on November 3.
The conference was initiated by the NCYV with the aim ofshowing Vietnam’s commitment in implementing the ASEAN Work Plan on Youth inthe 2016-2020 period, creating chances for youth leaders of ASEAN countries toshare experience and seek cooperation opportunities in the future.
Addressing the event, Standing Secretary of the HCYU CentralCommittee and President of the Vietnam Youth Federation Nguyen Anh Tuan notedthat ASEAN countries have invested greatly in youth development by issuinglaws, policies and strategies in the field as well as upgrading infrastructuresystems to create optimal conditions for the comprehensive development ofyoungsters.
Indicators on ASEAN’s youth development regarding education,health conditions, employment, startups and youth’s engagement in socialactivities have been improved strongly in recent years.
With nearly 220 million people, the youth account for one-thirdof the ASEAN population, an important resource for the socio-economic developmentof each country and the growth of the ASEAN Community, Tuan said.
He noted that over the years, hundreds of forums,programmes, conferences and activities have been held and benefited differentgroups of youngsters such as students, young scientists, entrepreneurs, publicservants, volunteer youths, workers, and politicians.
Tuan said that amidst difficulties caused by the COVID-19pandemic, ASEAN youths have shown their pioneering role, solidarity and mutualsupport in preventing the spreading of the disease, contributing tosocio-economic stability in countries and the whole region.
Participants joining the event discussed a wide range ofissues related to the development of the youth, ASEAN youth cooperation, andopportunities to strengthen youth collaboration in the future.
Hang Chuon Naron, Cambodian Minister of Education, Youth andSport, held that each country should pay more attention to education andmethods to implement youth-related activities to develop the youth force – thefuture leaders of each nation.
Along with giving new approaches to volunteer activities,vocational training and employment for the youth, it is necessary to equip themwith necessary skills to meet the labour market’s requirements, so that ASEANyouths can access equal employment opportunities, he stated.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the HCYU Central Committee and ViceChairman of the NCYV Nguyen Ngoc Luong put forth a number of measures tofurther promote youth cooperation in the future.
He affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to implement contents ofthe ASEAN Work Plan on Youth in the 2021-2025 period, especially those relatedto volunteer youths, support to youths’ start-ups and enhancing youngsters’skills to meet the requirements of the fourth Industrial Revolution.
Amidst the complicated developments of the COVID-19pandemic, he proposed that ministries and youth agencies of regional countriescontinue to share experience and strengthen collaboration in preventing thepandemic and speeding up recovery in each country in the new normal period.
He also stressed the need to enhance the awareness of theASEAN Community among youngsters in each country.
Concluding the event, the ASEAN youth leaders approved ajoint statement, which will be submitted to the 37th ASEAN Summit./.
VNA
