KUALA LUMPUR, 22 October 2025 – Labour ministers and senior officials of ASEAN Member States (AMS) convened today in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN Forum of Manpower Ministers for Human Capital Development, held in conjunction with the Global Skills Forum (GSF) 2025.
The event was hosted by the Ministry of Human Resources of Malaysia and the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), with support from the ASEAN Secretariat.
The forum gathered labour ministers and senior officials of AMS, development partners, and private sector representatives to advance regional cooperation on workforce transformation and lifelong learning under the ASEAN Year of Skills (AYOS) 2025.
During the forum, the Joint Statement on Skills Development for the Future Workforce in ASEAN was officially handed over by Steven Sim Chee Keong, Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia, to Gilbert F. Houngbo, ILO Director-General, symbolising ASEAN’s strengthened collaboration with ILO and other external partners in promoting future-ready, inclusive, and sustainable workforce.
In his welcome remarks, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, commended Malaysia’s leadership in convening the forum alongside the Global Skills forum 2025 and underscored the urgency of collective actions in addressing the region’s transforming labour markets. He emphasised that the ASEAN Year of Skills 2025 serves as a regional call for action to strengthen skills ecosystems, promote talent mobility, and ensure every ASEAN worker is equipped to succeed in tomorrow’s economy.
The forum highlighted the urgent need to strengthen regional cooperation in skills development to build a resilient and future-ready workforce. Delegates recognised that skills transformation is essential to address mismatches between labour supply and industry demand, accelerate digital and green transitions, and enhance talent mobility across the region. They underscored the importance of lifelong learning, stronger public–private collaboration, and sustainable financing mechanisms such as skills funds and levies to expand access to quality training.
They also reaffirmed their shared commitment to align national frameworks with regional mechanisms, including the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework and the ASEAN TVET Council, ensuring that ASEAN workers are equipped, recognised, and empowered to thrive in a rapidly changing world of work.
The forum complements existing commitments of ASEAN on human resources development as outlined in the ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work and the ASEAN Declaration on Promoting Green Jobs for Equity and Inclusive Growth, among others.
The labour ministers and senior officials of AMS also joined the Global Skills Forum 2025, which will continue until 23 October 2025. Bringing together global and regional leaders, the Global Skills Forum provided a platform to discuss workforce transformation in the era of digitalisation, green transition, and demographic shifts.
Photo Credit: ASEAN Secretariat
