(KPL/VNA) – ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).

At the event, Kao acknowledged the transformative impact of youth-led initiatives and youth active engagement in promoting understanding, unity, and progress thus far, and encouraged them to continue their active contributions to ASEAN Community-building.

According to the ASEAN chief, ASEAN had 224.2 million young people in 2020, accounting for about 34% of the total population in the region. Projections indicate that the youth population will peak in 2038, signaling the enormous potential of this demographic segment in shaping the socio-economic landscape and continued growth of ASEAN.

The ASEAN Leaders' Statement on the Year of ASEAN Youth to strengthen the role of youth in ASEAN-community building recognised the great role of youth in creating a key driving force for growth.

Kao congratulated Vietnam over taking proactive steps, leading the ASEAN Plus Youth Volunteer Forum and the ASEAN Plus Youth Volunteer Award. These are very important in promoting volunteer activities among young people, recognising outstanding individual volunteers and youth organisations that make positive contributions to the community.

On this occasion, Kao called for actions to focus on promoting the collective strength of youth for regional development. He affirmed that volunteer activities play an important pillar in youth participation, shaping the future of ASEAN.

Also the same day, Kao and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son cut the ribbon to inaugurate the ASEAN Square in the campus of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV).

KPL