DRAFT DECLARATION OF THE ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM 2022

CAMBODIA, 17TH-18TH DECEMBER 2022

Via Video conference

Utilising Regional and International Cooperation in Eliminating Urban Poverty

1. WE, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States (AMS), and other Dialogue
Partners, gathered for the ASEAN Regional Forum on the 17th and 18th of December
2022. The agenda of the meeting is “Utilising Regional and International Cooperation in
Eliminating Urban Poverty”.

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2. WE discussed the effects of the recent COVID-19 pandemic and manifestations of

the climate crisis in the forms of floods, typhoons, and earthquakes on account of
how they further exacerbated the systemic vulnerabilities of the urban poor in ASEAN
nations, as well as actions that must be implemented to gain the social, economic,
and developmental progress necessary to eliminate urban poverty. With constructive
dialogue among all parties concerned, we reached a

3. ACKNOWLEDGES that the role of the dialogue partners in this agenda is to provide
expertise and assist the ASEAN nations in funding programs that lead to economic
growth and cooperation. The dialogue partners, namely the Kingdom of Canada, the
Republic of South Korea, and the European Union, are open to making Foreign
Direct Investments (FDIs) in areas such as but not limited to; infrastructure,
education, and overall humanitarian aid. The dialogue partners believe that assisting
the ASEAN nations in resolving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,
namely Goal 1: end poverty by all manifestations by 2030, is crucial in resolving this
urgent issue.

4. AFFIRMING the necessity to implement cost-efficient and multi-sectoral frameworks

to support the ASEAN’s capacity to eliminate urban poverty by establishing
commercial partnerships among the committee members.

5. GUIDED by the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the ASEAN Framework Action
Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication 2021-2025 and the success of
past regional actions such as the Republic of Indonesia’s National Team for
Accelerating National Development (TNP2K) and the Republic of the Philippines’
Development of Poor Urban Communities Sector Project (DPUCSP).

6. STRONGLY RECOMMEND the implementation of the DOR (Dignity, Opportunity,

Resilience) Framework modeled after the Kingdom of Canada’s Opportunity For All
Poverty Reduction Strategy, which has shown to be effective as it reduced urban
poverty by 20% in the period between 2015 to 2017. The framework aims to identify
the focus of any urban poverty-related policies. Policies that ensure the basic living
needs of the urban poor, such as food, sanitation, and shelter, should fall under
 Dignity in the framework. Any policies that concern tackling unemployment and
providing an opportunity for all individuals to contribute to society, such as joining the
workforce, should fall under Opportunity in the framework. Long-term policies that
aim to prevent citizens from falling into poverty should be under the Resilience part of
the framework.

7. WE discussed that the Ministers of ASEAN Member States (AMS) should develop
cooperation with the NGOs, which will work with affiliated organizations together in
the community. Still, the program will share specific methodologies and will make up
representatives of ASEAN Members to become easier and more feasible. Therefore,
the approaches to mapping deprived urban areas through partnership with NGOs will
provide more support to reduce urban poverty and identify specific areas where the
informal settlements, which have grown up constantly in poverty, also keep the
acceptability context-specific.

8. EMPHASISE the role of various non-government organizations (NGOs) to increase

job opportunities, help with funding as well as address waste problems by enabling
capable people to move to other developing countries and get a job to assist said
countries with a paid labor job with the financial support of the government until the
money is paid back in which they’ll do social work and assisting in developing
countries with establishing facilities required that include but are not limited to: health
facilities, hydroponics facilities, water sanitation facilities.

9. We further welcome the collaboration with ASEAN countries' Ministry of Public

Works and Housing to develop an underground floodwater system with assistance
from Japan's sustainable green technology, human resources, and experience in
assisting water systems.

10. Encourage sustainable income, through trash collecting programs. Trash can be
collected, and people will be paid 8% of the countries’ minimum wage per kilogram;
that’ll encourage people to work to establish a clean and sanitary living situation
while also getting payments. The trash will be converted into energy through
incineration. The ash byproduct can be converted into landfill material.

11. RECOMMEND the involvement of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community to monitor

and plan any policies that align with urban poverty issues. ASEAN Socio-Cultural
Community could also work hand-in-hand with the local NGOs to establish domestic
programs to combat urban poverty.ENCOURAGES Non-Governmental Organizations
(NGOs) to help provide training for people who live in rural areas. The training
focuses on vocational training on entrepreneurship that maximizes resources in the
area.

12. ENCOURAGE NGOs to help establish “CanGive” where organisations/provide food

for those in need through partnerships with local businesses. The local businesses
can donate food/beverages that did not get sold to those in need, thus
RECOMMENDS collaboration with NGOs such as OneHealth or SIF, to provide
underfunded NGOs with funds and resources needed to operate in foreign countries
with support from government authorities, under the jurisdiction of the national
government in which the NGO shall operate within. Requirements that the NGO are
required to fulfil before receiving funds and support from the government to operate
freely with heightened authority are so that the organisation must have notable
records of achievements and history. RECOMMENDS the implementation of
programs could be more helpful in reducing areas of extreme poverty to ensure that
 all populations have access, also this way could be done by the government itself in
partnership with NGOs Plan International and focuses on ensuring the regions of
poverty.

13. COMBINED EDUCATION CLAUSES GO HERE (SR Vietnam is working on them)

14. URGED BY an increase in demand for careers in Internet and Communication

Technology (ICT) due to the pandemic, and the fact that it remains marginalized due
to lack of training and access to such education, suggest the allocation of funds
towards education, specifically in urban communities with the lack of access thereof,
through sponsoring educational programs and community development programs in
high-demand fields such as but not limited to Internet and Communication
Technology (ICT) and Technical, Industrial and Vocational Entrepreneurship and
Training (TIVET), as well as significant direct funds toward improving the national
education curriculum through implementing the use of technology and digital
learning.

15. CALLS FOR the improvement of access to education as well as the quality of said
education. Education is a powerful driver of development and growth. According to
the World Bank, globally, there is a 9 percent increase in hourly earnings for every
extra year of schooling. This shows how critical education is to solving urban poverty.
Increased accessibility to education can be achieved by building more schools,
ensuring quality teachers through teaching workshops and classes, and making
education more affordable through subsidies for low-income households. Such a
solution can be modeled after that of Finland and Singapore, with some of the most
successful education systems around the world. Funding required for this project can
be discussed with the World Bank, the largest external financier of education in the
developing world.

16. SUPPORT increasing quantity and quality of sustainable water sources with the
support of the ASEAN Working Group on Water Resources Management
(AWGWRM) through conducting research towards improving water quality, the
creation of more public hygiene areas for those who are unable to access sanitation
products at home, and the expansion of water purification programs.

17. SUGGEST the establishment of foreign direct investment programs in building the
resilience of Member States’ economies to overcome the initial burden of urban
poverty through mutually beneficial economic ties and two-way trade agreements
with fellow ASEAN countries and dialogue partners.

18. RECOMMENDS Member Nations’ respective governments to employ the form of

public work projects in areas such as rebuilding infrastructure, installing utilities, etc.,
to reduce the unemployment rate in urban cities;

19. STRONGLY URGES Member Nations as well as the dialogue partners to create
trade treaties that ensure smoother, freer trade between members of this Meeting in
the forms such as but not limited to: reducing export and import taxes, lifting tariffs.
This measure is suggested to increase the supply of essential goods, which will be a
vital factor in lowering inflation levels back to sustainable levels.

20. RECOGNIZES that the informal sector, which takes up about 30-70% of the
economy in developing nations, plays a large role in urban poverty, as employment in
 the informal sector is often with wages lower than minimum wage and inhumane
working conditions. Therefore, the Meeting recommends Member Nations’
respective governments to work with Non-Governmental Organizations as well as
other bodies within its nation to identify specific businesses in the informal sector and
work to formalize these businesses so the government can: 1. Collect taxes from
these businesses, 2. Ensure the minimum wage of every employee in the informal
businesses, and 3. Protect the employees from human rights violations.

21. NOTES the need for eliminating homelessness immediately. Therefore, the Meeting
SUGGESTS the use of temporary housing technologies that were invented in
COVID-19, which are easy to build and durable, as an effective solution to ensure
homeless citizens have a simple form of shelter. When the housing facilities are
available, which should be no longer than 6 months, they will be relocated to
government-funded housing with clean sanitation and all necessary utilities installed.

22. RECOMMENDS the implementation of healthcare and energy (utilities) subsidies,

especially for vulnerable populations, as they make healthcare and utilities more
accessible to the urban poor. As healthcare and electricity are basic human needs,
the Meeting would like to emphasize the need to ensure these needs are met
through proposals in this Declaration.

23. URGES Member Nations as well as the dialogue partners to implement sustainable
city planning in its existing cities and uprising cities, with climate resilience in mind.
The dialogue partners can assist the Member Nations through funding, studying case
studies within their respective nations, and conducting research to identify the
specific issues with specific current cities. Sustainable city planning aims to ensure
safe and affordable housing for all, create accessible public transportation systems,
and ensure clean sanitation and utilities.

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24. ENCOURAGE cooperation and collaboration among ASEAN Member States and
Dialogue Partners through horizontal partnerships that optimize existing capacities
and encourage the sharing of knowledge between developed and developing
countries.

25. WE, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States (AMS) and other dialogue
partners, conducted a retreat that was convened on 17-18 December 2022 in
Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in an online format. The Retreat was the first major meeting
of the year under Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2022 with the theme “Utilising
Regional and International Cooperation in Eliminating Urban Poverty”.

26. TAKING NOTE that new implementation of a project that involved a broad level of
participation including staff within the WHO, private providers, the leadership of
non-governmental organizations and other ministries, and their related institutions.
Therefore, both bodies will have a comprehensive plan that acts as a guide to
implementing strategic moves for improving developing countries' healthcare
services. Despite this, two committees should be established: 1- To introduce the
Master Plan, which ought to be implemented, and 2- The Steering Committee
composed of members representing relevant agencies from the government sector,
 the private sector, academic and research institutions as well as the health
professional body.

27. WE underscored the importance of strengthening ASEAN Centrality and unity in our
engagement with ASEAN’s external partners, in order to build mutual trust and
confidence as well as reinforce an open, transparent, inclusive, and rules-based
regional architecture with ASEAN at the center.

28. ENCOURAGE collaborations and involvement of the government of ASEAN member

states and dialogue partners to implement and actualize all the comprehensive plans
and actions in eradicating urban poverty.

29. REAFFIRMS our mutual commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, security,
and stability in the region notably for the victim communities. We encourage the
establishment of Shelters for Victims and People in Need Spreading Across ASEAN
and Partners which will provide assistance and basic needs such as food, general
necessities, hotlines for emergency situations, and protection for victims who
experienced various forms of violence. This shelter shall be implemented both in
urban and rural areas and provide assistance for natural disasters.

30. PROMOTE the implementation in the partner countries of the Partnership for Poverty
Reduction Program (UPPR), which will be one way to improve urban poverty and
people who have been living in extreme poverty. Thus, implementing it in an
international sphere will reduce the rates of urban poverty. However, the partnership
works to improve land tenure security, access to community infrastructure for a
healthy living environment, and access to essential services such as health facilities
and funding for improved housing and entrepreneurship. Therefore, to complement
the UPPR include points such as local capacity building for city-level steering
committees to support the development of local poverty reduction strategies,
including a focus on achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). UPPRR
trains local leaders to understand the causes of urban poverty and learn poverty
strategies for reduction through Master Plan Program, also the assistance to
communities threatened with eviction and living in dangerous areas, such as
riverbanks or close to polluted areas and living in areas where the infrastructure
improvements are not allowed. Therefore, the ASEAN Members throughout UPPR
help to find and negotiate solutions to tenure security problems and improve access
to accessible health facilities through Master Plan Program.

31. EMPHASIZE the importance of actions to increase economic growth and human
development, through export-import collaboration with ASEAN member states,
Non-Government Organizations, and Companies.

32. EMPHASIZE the market digitalization to provide more platforms for businesses and
help expand the market area across the globe. We noted that not all areas have
access to electricity and the internet, so we encourage member states to subsidize
electricity distribution.
33. ENCOURAGES all the ASEAN member countries as well the dialogue partner to
respond to the problem of lack of jobs to worker capabilities and raising the need for
new education innovation that able to focuses on improving the quality and strength
of human resources as well entrepreneurship-based education to encourage more
young people to innovate on the latest business opportunities and open up
opportunities for more jobs, which can be provided through the concept of
"Community Based Vocational Training" means community-based vocational training
involving Job Training Centers and other education institutions

34. WE emphasize the importance of education and providing members of ASEAN

support through education programs to give immigrants proper skill sets to stay
competitive amongst candidates in the workforce through providing various skills,
such as ICT skills, technological skills, and quality education among many others,
allowing these individuals access to more job opportunities.

35. EMPHASIZES the importance of education and providing members of ASEAN

support through education programs for immigrants, providing proper skill sets to
stay competitive amongst candidates in the workforce through providing various
skills, such as ICT skills, technological skills, and quality education among many
others, allowing these individuals access to more job opportunities. Suggest
collaboration between members to strengthen ties between dialogue partners and
ASEAN members. We recommend Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA)
Charter and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in providing help through
education.

36. RECOMMENDS to the ASEAN member states to strengthen cooperation through

SAMEO, ACT, and other ASEAN education communities to focus on the International
Minister Education collaboration with helping any fund needed, and another part of
education needed.

37. WELCOMES the creation of the EFL (Education for Love) program that primarily
focuses on children living in rural areas. The concept of sending volunteers to be
sent for 1 (one) year to teach children living in rural areas. We encourage the
program to provide volunteers with educational background, a passion for teaching,
fluent in English (more language is acceptable), have no criminal records in the past,
and pass a psychological test, whereas the undergraduate students will be assessed
based on their academic performance and the EFL program will send a recognition
letter to the university/organization that shows that they are a part of the EFL
program, we also encourage that retired teachers will train the volunteers for 1 (one)
year (9 (nine) months in class and 3 (three) months in the field of the home country).
We also acknowledged that if developed countries (home country) will send
volunteers to developing country (host country) then the home country will handle the
beneficial needs, whereas if the developing country (home country) sends volunteers
to the developed country (home country) then the host country will cover the
volunteer's beneficial needs (food, accommodation, visa, etc).
38. EMPHASISES the importance of basic needs access, especially for poor
communities. We welcome the establishment of the 2016 Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) support for the water problems by working together with
the Ministry of Public Works and Housing to develop an underground floodwater
system, providing technology and manpower from experienced Japanese experts
with the JICA, and collaborates also facilitate more non-governmental organizations
to support cleanups in bodies of water along with assistance to remove trash from
rivers, lakes, and oceans.

39. ENDORSES the implementation of a cash welfare transfer program to reduce

long-term poverty and improve children's education. We noted that in order to be
qualified, parents/guardians should ensure children's school attendance and
vaccinations. This program also collaborates with teachers in each school that will
collect daily attendance for students, which is consolidated by school directors,
matched to a list of the recipients given to the school by the municipality, and sent to
the municipal education secretariat on a regular basis. We acclaimed if the children
do not achieve the minimum attendance percentage, the family will no longer be
qualified and their funds will be suspended.

40. ENCOURAGE the agricultural settlements to be reinforced with infrastructure built

specifically to withstand flooding and heavy rainfall, mangrove forestation is highly
recommended as a wave blocker and as a preventative for soil erosion to occur
during a flood.

41. ENCOURAGE the establishment of a structured ruralization project which will be

planned under the supervision of the local government as well as the development of
agriculture sectors by providing funds to local farmers and developing the
infrastructures, especially in rural areas. This project also enhances rural
entrepreneurship development and investment to increase opportunities for rural
communities.

42. ENCOURAGE ASEAN member states to implement the AUAG (ASEAN Unity
Association Growers) program, in which the main purpose of this program is to
emphasize farmers living in the ASEAN region to contribute more within the
agriculture industry, such as building a network between farmers throughout ASEAN
region, sharing knowledge to one another in which each farmer representative from
different ASEAN regions will be sent to another ASEAN region to share their
technique and solutions.

43. ENCOURAGE ASEAN state members to implement a digital services app, namely
“Golden Paddy” that was first established in Myanmar. The platform has an "early
warning system" to aid farms in adjusting to local weather and climatic changes. The
app also links farmers with buyers and microloan services. These attributes aid
smallholder farmers in producing better crops, boosting the availability of food and
individual income, and promoting general economic growth.
44. RECOMMENDS the entire ASEAN region to apply the Upland Rice Project that was
conducted first by the Philippines in the past focusing on hands-on training for rice
and vegetable farming endorsed by dialogue partners.

45. RECOMMENDS the involvement of the ASEAN Economic Community to monitor and
facilitate collaboration and funding with dialogue partners state, private sector,
private-public partnership as well as the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

46. WE VIEWING WITH APPRECIATION donations from ASEAN member-state

countries and dialogue partners for the funding. We welcome the funding program
Japan ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) for 10 years as a long-term funding
investment from fellow dialogue partners.

47. STRENGTHENING safety net programs by increasing transparency and supervision

like the ASEAN itself in the provision of goods and services to ensure no corruption
from non-targeted individuals as well as other stakeholders,

48. RECOMMENDS a support and early intervention system that allows for the
prevention of individuals from falling into poverty or falling deeper into poverty,
instead of dependency we believe that there should be a mutual respect relationship
in which if citizens are not able to get a job opportunity then support will be cut off to
eliminate dependency on these support systems,

49. ENCOURAGES implementation of benefits for working, this’ll ensure that individuals
will keep working instead of quitting jobs to ensure employment for individuals to
prevent falling into poverty.

50. ENCOURAGES invention of government policies that ensure strong economic

growth, including low inflation, low-interest rates, budget surpluses, a flexible
workplace relations system, and a tax system that does not penalize entrepreneurial
activity; this will reduce the risk of poverty by a large quantity,

51. ENCOURAGES prevention methods to ensure that individuals will not fall back into
the poverty cycle, to ensure a sustainable pattern of climbing out of income classes

52. RECOMMENDS increase of quality, quantity, and access to the following things:
basic necessities, healthcare, financial support, and education through the following
means: hydroponics for food, creating clean and sanitary water through various
methods, building various facilities in areas for healthcare and education;

53. ENCOURAGES the creation of a “Public Kitchen” shelter that focuses primarily on
rural areas, in which this program gives a place for the communities to cook their
groceries with cooking utensils provided by the government. Due to the high gas
price, the government will also provide it, with a limited amount per month.
 LIST OF FOREIGN MINISTERS
ATTENDING THE ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM 2022
17th-18th December 2022,
via Video conference

Cambodia H.E. Auberta Tracy Tjahjadi

Chair Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Laos H.E. Jaewon Choi

Co-Chair Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Indonesia H.E. Sofia Caraig

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia

Malaysia H.E. Eugene Spencer C. Lopez

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia

Thailand H.E. Cecilia Aldora

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
 Brunei H.E. Igor Bastos and Liliana Talino
Minster of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darrussalam

Vietnam H.E. Alfonso Yuji Abeleda Cortez and Aulia Hayyu Fiidinillah

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Singapore H.E. The Hon. Bagawan Kagurnita Krisatio Soenarjono

Minister of Foreign Affairs Singapore

Myanmar H.E. Cindy Fresilia Dewi

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar
 China H.E. Guilherme Galina Mazin and Fernando Nakayama Ikeda
Dialogue Partner Minister of Foreign Affairs of China

United States H.E. The Hon. Jackelyn Carreon

Dialogue Partner
Co-Chair

Canada H.E. The Hon.

Dialogue Partner

Bangladesh H.E. The Hon.

Dialogue Partner

South Korea H.E. The Hon. Ong Yan Ting

Dialogue Partner Minister of Foreign Affairs

Philippines H.E. Melek Nil Birin

Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Philippines
 Japan H.E. The Hon. Felice Ferina Lim
Dialogue Partner Minister of Foreign Affairs

Australia H.E. The Hon. Justin Mitchell Tosin

Dialogue Partner Minister of Foreign Affairs

European Union H.E. The Hon. Tala Alasmari and Jood Alasmari
Dialogue Partner Commissioner for International Partnerships