We are committed to consolidating and strengthening regional cooperation in
culture-related areas through the adoption of the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the
ASEAN Cultural Year 2019 with the theme of ‘Diversity, Creativity, and Sustainability’. We
looked forward to vibrant cultural exchanges among the ASEAN Member States, including
the Best of ASEAN Performing Arts 2019. We also welcomed the planned ‘ASEAN Cultural
Troupe: Oneness to the World’, the cultural showcases in the ASEAN Plus Three (APT)
countries and other parts of the world, and other related activities to bring a unified voice
through ASEAN cultures and heritage to global audiences. In raising ASEAN identity and
awareness, we appreciated the convening of the ASEAN University Students Council Union conference, the intra-ASEAN scholarships program and the contribution of the
ASEAN Cultural Center in Bangkok.
31. We welcomed the shared wish of ASEAN to develop a joint bid to host a FIFA World
Cup and supported the efforts of national football associations of ASEAN Member States
and the ASEAN Football Federation to realise this goal.
We noted with satisfaction the adoption of the Concept Note and Terms of
Reference for the Network of ASEAN Associations of the ASEAN Member States by the
23rd ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting, which aims at promoting greater public
awareness of ASEAN and its identity, as well as strengthening and broadening grass-roots
support for the ASEAN Community within ASEAN Member States. We also looked forward
to the first annual meeting of the Network in Thailand in 2019.
We agreed on the need to strengthen ASEAN preparedness to deal with the trends
of an ageing society, as well as the promotion of better social safety nets, through the
establishment of the ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation (ACAI) and the
development of an ASEAN Training Centre for Social Work and Social Welfare (ATCSW)
this year.
We noted the development of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Culture of Prevention
to implement the ASEAN Declaration on Culture for Prevention for a Peaceful, Inclusive,
Resilient, Healthy and Harmonious Society adopted in 2017 in particular the outreach
campaigns of the six priorities of Culture of Prevention that will commence in 2019 and
2020.
In ensuring a competitive workforce equipped with future-ready skills, we noted the
signing of the ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Statement on the Future of Work: Embracing
Technology for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth, as well as the finalisation of the Future
ASEAN Agenda on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). We further
noted the adoption of the ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Joint Statement on Green Initiative to
the 108th International Labour Conference by the ASEAN Labour Ministers and
emphasised the need to promote business and human rights based on the United Nations’
‘Protect, Respect and Remedy’ framework We noted the ongoing efforts to implement the ASEAN Declaration on
Strengthening Education for Out-of-School Children and Youth (OOSCY) adopted at the
28th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Lao PDR in 2016, including the development of a
regional action plan for the implementation of the said Declaration.
We shared a concern for the multi-faceted impact and risks of climate change and
climate-related disasters on the people of ASEAN. We welcomed the positive outcomes of
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Katowice
Climate Change Conference in 2018, and reiterated ASEAN’s commitment to advancing
climate action towards the achievement of our respective Nationally Determined Contributions in implementing the Paris Agreement. We look forward to furthering progress
at the upcoming UNFCCC Santiago Climate Change Conference as well as the UN
Climate Action Summit 2019. We recognised the importance of a people-oriented and
people-centred approach in dealing with climate change and will continue to enhance our
communication, education and public awareness on climate change, as well as
environmental protection.
We recognised that our region is prone to natural disasters, which cause disruptions
to the socio-economic development and people’s ways of lives. We reiterated our support
for the operationalisation of the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN One Response:
ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region. We also
commended the work of the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) and
the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management
(AHA Centre) enhancing ASEAN’s capabilities and cooperation in disaster management
and emergency response. In this regard, we welcomed the establishment of an ASEAN
Satellite Warehouse in Chai Nat, Thailand, and looked forward to the launch of the ASEAN
Satellite Warehouse in Manila, the Philippines in 2019 under the Disaster Emergency
Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA), which will enhance the mobilisation and delivery of
relief items rapidly to disaster-affected areas. We also look forward towards the
operationalisation of ASEAN Militaries Ready Group on Humanitarian Assistance and
Disaster Relief (AMRG on HADR) which will help reinforce ASEAN’s humanitarian
assistance and disaster relief capabilities to respond to disasters effectively under a single
ASEAN banner. We also agreed on the need to strengthen regional collaboration on public
health at the national and regional levels in line with the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster
Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) through the operationalisation of the
ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management. We also welcomed the
endorsement of the Phase 2 Plan of Action of the ASEAN Disaster Risk Financing and
Insurance (ADRFI), that would support the provision of disaster risk financing and
insurance solutions in the region, to close ASEAN’s protection gap and reinforce ASEAN’s
disaster resilience.
We shared a concern over the high and rapidly increasing levels of marine debris
and acknowledged the urgent need for strong regional collaboration among ASEAN
Member States and with partners to effectively address this issue. We therefore welcomed
the convening of the Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Marine Debris on 5 March
2019 in Bangkok. We adopted the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in
ASEAN Region and welcomed the ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris to
strengthen collaborative action among ASEAN Member States and partners to prevent
and significantly reduce marine debris, produced from both sea-based and land-based
activities.
We noted that transboundary haze pollution, arising from land and forest fires
remains a major concern in the region. We reiterated our commitment to the full and
effective implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution
(AATHP) and the Roadmap on ASEAN Cooperation Towards Transboundary Haze Pollution Control with Means of Implementation (the Roadmap) to achieve a Haze-Free
ASEAN by 2020. We looked forward to the conducting of the Mid-Term Review on the
implementation of the Roadmap to take stock of the implementation progress and to
sustain momentum in ensuring concrete improvements towards achieving the vision of the
Roadmap. We looked forward to the establishment and full operationalisation of the
ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution under the AATHP which
will provide a strategic framework for the implementation of collaborative actions, to
address transboundary haze pollution in the ASEAN region.
We recognised the challenges of biodiversity conservation and the impact of climate
change in ASEAN, in particular activities relating to the loss of biodiversity. We noted the
positive outcome of the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD COP14) in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt in 2018. We recognised the progress
made in implementing conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity of the region to
achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, with
the support of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, and encouraged all ASEAN Member
States to join the preparation of the Post-2020 biodiversity framework under the
Convention on Biological Diversity taking into account the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and Sustainable Development Goals.
We reaffirmed our support for a more visible and enhanced role of ASEAN to
support Myanmar in providing humanitarian assistance, facilitating the repatriation process
with regard to the situation in Rakhine State, and promoting sustainable development. We
appreciated the efforts of the Secretary-General of ASEAN (ASG), the AHA Centre, and
officials from the Government of Myanmar in conducting the Preliminary Needs
Assessment (PNA) Mission, which was based on the mandate given by ASEAN. We
agreed for the ASG to go further with the recommendations contained in the PNA, including
those that focus on capacity-building, dissemination of information and support to the
provision of basic services in Rakhine State, and recognised the need for adequate
resources for these activities. We underscored the importance of prioritisation of the basic
services that would receive support and the usefulness of exploring cooperation with
ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners on possible support. We welcomed the compilation of
information by the ASEAN Secretariat regarding the cooperation and assistance voluntarily
extended by ASEAN Member States to Myanmar to address the humanitarian situation,
which will facilitate enhanced ASEAN coordination on this matter.
We stressed the importance of and expressed our continued support for Myanmar’s
commitment to ensure safety and security for all communities in Rakhine State as
effectively as possible and facilitate the voluntary return of displaced persons in a safe,
secure and dignified manner. We looked forward to the full implementation of the MOU
between Myanmar Government, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and to the
continued and effective dialogue between Myanmar and Bangladesh to facilitate the
repatriation process of displaced persons from Rakhine State. We stressed the need to
find a comprehensive and durable solution to address the root causes of the conflict and to create a conducive environment so that the affected communities can rebuild their lives.
We encouraged Myanmar to continue to implement the remaining recommendations of the
final report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. We expect that the Independent
Commission of Enquiry established by the Government of Myanmar would seek
accountability by carrying out an independent and impartial investigation into alleged
human rights violations and related issues. We also reaffirmed ASEAN’s support for
Myanmar’s efforts to bring peace, stability, the rule of law, to promote harmony and
reconciliation among the various communities as well as to ensure sustainable and
equitable development in Rakhine State.
We noted the work of the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN
Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers (ACMW)
and look forward to the adoption of the Terms of Reference of ACMW this year. We were
pleased to note the on-going implementation of the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection
and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers by the ASEAN Member States through its
action plan and filling up of the self-assessment tool, and acknowledged notable progress
in the empowerment of women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons in the
ASEAN region. We looked forward to the implementation of the ASEAN Enabling
Masterplan 2025: Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the finalisation
of the Regional Plan of Action to Implement the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Ageing
Empowering Older Persons in ASEAN. We also reaffirmed the commitment to promote the
women, peace and security agenda in the ASEAN region as outlined in the Joint Statement
on Promoting Women, Peace and Security in ASEAN by building on existing frameworks,
such as the ASEAN Women for Peace Registry, under the ASEAN Institute of Peace and
Reconciliation.
We noted the continued progress in the implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN
Integration (IAI) Work Plan III and the on-going monitoring and evaluation of the capacity
building activities. We expressed appreciation to ASEAN Member States, Dialogue
Partners and external parties for the financial and technical assistance provided in
implementing the IAI Work Plan III and recognised the important role of sub-regional
cooperation framework in delivering the benefits of the ASEAN Community to the less
developed areas of Member States, with the aim of achieving inclusive and equitable
development. In this regard, we encouraged deeper cooperation among the sub-regional
groupings and with the ASEAN Secretariat to promote greater coordination of sub-regional
and regional initiatives, where applicable. We will continue our collective efforts in the rural
development to serve as an essential strategy to eradicate poverty and eliminate urbanrural development gap. We encouraged further convergence of rural development and
poverty eradication initiatives at the local, national and regional levels under the ASEAN
Framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication (RDPE) 2016-
2020.
We also agreed to comprehensively address the underlying causes of malnutrition
and associated diseases to improve the quality of life of ASEAN peoples for a more vibrant
and dynamic region, consistent with the vision of the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on
Ending All Forms of Malnutrition.
We recognised the pivotal role of our civil service in providing coordinated, efficient,
effective and responsive public services to the peoples of ASEAN. We commended the
ASEAN Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) for its role in the promotion of good
governance principles in public management towards efficient, citizen-centric, and
accountable civil services in ASEAN. In this regard, we look forward to the finalisation of
the ASEAN Statement on Promotion of Good Governance and Acceleration of an Agile
Civil Service in a Digital Economy.
