The ASEAN Volunteers Project gathers youth from all ASEAN Member States to contribute to community projects with local organisations across the region. On its first year of implementation with the theme “Community based disaster risk reduction and preparedness”, the volunteers will serve for 22 days on community projects on disaster risk management and climate change adaptation.

The first batch of volunteers will be deployed in October this year. Stay tuned on ASEAN social media to follow ASEAN Volunteers’ journey!

The ASEAN Volunteers project is supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF). This project is part of the commemoration of the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.

From 29 – 30 July 2023, 12 dedicated members of the ASEAN-ERAT participated in a crucial ASEAN-ERAT Refresher Course in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The primary aim was to strengthen their understanding of ASEAN and international mechanisms and services for disaster response, gearing up for the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Exercise 2023 (ARDEX-23).

The ASEAN-ERAT Refresher Course was organised with support from the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) and the European Union in ASEAN through EU-SAHA.

Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN KIYA Masahiko was interviewed by JICA Magazine about his expectation for Japan and the possibility of cooperation between Japan and ASEAN.

Ambassador Kiya said that Japan is now at the forefront of cooperation with ASEAN countries. The important thing is to continue to lead the way. An ongoing example is the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF). This year, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio announced a new contribution of USD100 million to the JAIF 3.0, which supports the deepening of the ASEAN community and the correction of intra-regional disparities and promotes cooperation between Japan and ASEAN.

Ambassador added, “In addition to the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation Commemorative Summit in December, I would like many people to participate in the series of meetings and commemorative events. We will also aim to “visualise” Japan’s efforts. I believe that we can further strengthen horizontal cooperation by widely communicating what we have built and what we are doing to both the ASEAN side and Japan. Through visualization, we will create opportunities for various organizations to collaborate,”

“There are many areas in which Japan and ASEAN can cooperate, but innovation and start-ups are particularly important. It should be possible to apply the results of cooperation with ASEAN to other regions and scale up to the rest of the world. In this regard, I believe that ASEAN is the most suitable partner,” he concluded.

The Ministry of Justice of Japan (MOJ) and the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ) co-hosted the ASEAN-Japan Special Youth Forum for Promoting the Rule of Law (Special Youth Forum) to facilitate discussion on the rule of law among the youth in Japan and ASEAN countries. The two-day Forum was held on 5 – 6 July 2023, at the Hotel New Otani (Tokyo), in conjunction with the ASEAN-Japan Special Meeting of Justice Ministers (AJSMJ).

At the Forum, more than 60 youths (aged 18 to 25) from Japan, ASEAN countries, and Timor-Leste gathered for a lively discussion in English on the theme of “Building Justice Literacy for Enhanced Access to Justice: the key to the rule of law in the digital era.” The outcomes of their discussions were submitted as recommendations to the AJSMJ.

The Forum brought together young people with diverse backgrounds and values from each country for a proactive discussion on “the rule of law.” Encouraging interest in and understanding of the rule of law among the youth in Japan and ASEAN countries is essential for sustainably strengthening and promoting the rule of law in both regions. This presented a significant opportunity to foster solidarity, dialogue, and mutual understanding, as well as to build partnerships for the future of both regions.

The ASEAN-Japan Special Youth Forum for Promoting the Rule of Law is supported by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

The Indonesian government and the governments of Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan are attending a meeting in Singapore on 26 – 27 April to discuss maritime safety in the straits of Malacca and Singapore.

The 3rd Extraordinary Session of Implementation Committee Meeting on the Joint Hydrographic Survey of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore is organized by Malacca Strait Council (MSC) and aims to discuss the implementation of improvement of maritime safety in the Malacca and Singapore Straits.

The joint hydrographic survey of the straits of Malacca and Singapore is divided into two phases. The first phase is the implementation of a hydrographic survey in five critical areas of the Malacca and Singapore Straits that was carried out in 2015.

Meanwhile, the second phase is a hydrographic survey conducted along the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), which has a depth of less than 30 meters. The second phase was carried out from 2017 to 2020, which was then extended to 2023 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Yudhonur Setyaji of the Transportation Ministry and the Indonesian Navy Hydro-Oceanographic Center (Pushidrosal) in a written statement received on Thursday, stated that one of the essential agendas to be discussed at the meeting is the ASEAN Hydrographic Survey Workshop that is scheduled to be held in September 2023 in Jakarta and will be attended by Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi.

The Joint Hydrographic Survey of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore project is supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).