Singapore, 31 October 2024 – The 28th ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Meeting (28th ALMM) and 13th ASEAN Plus Three Labour Ministers’ Meeting (13th ALMM+3) concluded today in Singapore. The meetings were participated by ASEAN Member States (AMS) and the Secretary-General of ASEAN. China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea attended the 13th ALMM+3. Timor-Leste participated in both meetings as an observer.
The 28th ALMM commemorated 50 years of cooperation in the labour sector since its inaugural meeting in 1975. A Commemorative video and the launching of a time capsule marked the celebration, which highlighted the key milestones, projects and accomplishments of ASEAN labour cooperation over the last five decades. The time capsule will be put on display at the ASEAN Secretariat/Headquarters in Jakarta.
The Meeting was opened by the ALMM Chair of 2024-2026, H.E. Dr. Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Minister for Manpower. “As ASEAN celebrates 50 years of labour cooperation, we reflected on our shared achievements and the progress made in building a resilient workforce across the region. Singapore is proud to be part of this journey and remains committed to strengthening regional cooperation to address the challenges of the future world of work. By enhancing skills development, protecting workers’ rights, and promoting decent work, we can ensure that ASEAN’s workforce is ready to seize the opportunities ahead.”, said H.E. Dr. Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Minister for Manpower and Chair of ALMM.
In his remarks, the Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, highlighted the ALMM’s pivotal role in addressing key labour issues within the region for the past five decades. He stressed the relevance of the theme for the 28th ALMM, “Strengthening Resilience and Promoting Innovation”, being in line with the realisation of the forthcoming ASEAN Community Vision 2045 for a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred ASEAN Community. Dr. Kao expressed confidence that the ALMM cooperation beyond 2025 will be successful, by leveraging technology, fostering skills development, and promoting a future-ready workforce that is responsive to the region’s dynamic labour markets.
The Meetings reviewed the progress of implementation of the ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Work Programme 2021-2025 in the areas of occupational safety and health, labour inspection, protection of migrant workers, including migrant fishers, social protection, green jobs promotion, gender mainstreaming in labour and employment policies, and promotion of future-ready workforce, among others.
Follow-up initiatives to numerous ASEAN Declarations adopted in the past five years were deliberated. The Meeting also discussed the Vientiane Declaration on Skills Mobility, Recognition and Development for Migrant Workers and its Checklist, ASEAN Declaration on The Prevention of Child Labour, Including The Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour, ASEAN Guidelines on Portability of Social Security Benefits for Migrant Workers in ASEAN and ASEAN Guidelines on the Placement and Protection of Migrant Fishers. These outcome documents were recently adopted or noted at the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits on 9 October 2024, in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
The Meetings supported the development of the ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Work Programme for 2026-2030, guided by the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and responsive to current labour issues in the region. Labour-related priorities of Malaysia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025 were shared including a series of activities for the ASEAN Year of Skills 2025 planned by Malaysia.