Youth for Energy Southeast Asia (Y4E SEA) at Regional Socialisation of the AEC Strategic Plan 2026-2030

On 12 June 2025, Youth for Energy Southeast Asia (Y4E SEA) participated in the Regional Socialisation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026-2030, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This milestone event brought together leaders from across the ASEAN region to discuss the future of economic integration, resilience, and inclusivity under the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Setting the Stage for Inclusive Futures

Organized by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Malaysia, in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat and supported by GIZ, the event aimed to increase awareness of the newly adopted AEC Strategic Plan 2026-2030. With ASEAN poised to become the world’s fourth largest economy by 2030, the Strategic Plan serves as a roadmap to guide the region’s economic transformation, placing emphasis on sustainability, digital innovation, and inclusive growth.

The second panel discussion, titled Building a Thriving and Inclusive Economy for Future Generations, explored how ASEAN can ensure that young people, MSMEs, women, and marginalized groups are included in this journey.

Youth Voices on the Regional Stage

Representing Y4E SEA, Jitsai (Tata) Santaputra, Co Founder and Advisor of the network, was invited as a panelist in the discussion. Her participation emphasized the critical need to incorporate youth not merely as beneficiaries, but as co creators in shaping ASEAN’s future.

“We have intersectoral and interracial collaborations, but the intergenerational collaboration is still missing.” Jitsai shared.

She also offered clear critiques of the current AEC Strategic Plan, pointing out gaps in how youth are meaningfully included:

• Objective 2.2 on inclusive energy transition mentions access, yet lacks strategies to ensure implementation, especially for and with youth

• Objective 3.6 seeks to harness the creative economy, a sector driven by youth, yet fails to propose mechanisms to build youth capacity

• Objective 5.5 focuses on reskilling due to demographic changes but doesn’t position youth as the backbone of just transitions

  
  

“Communication gaps are not just about language. It’s about how we make energy leaders more inclusive so the general public doesn’t feel left behind.”

Constructive Criticism and Way Forward

Y4E SEA offered several recommendations for future iterations of the AEC Strategic Plan:

1. Apply the ASEAN Youth Development Index (YDI) as a measure of effective youth engagement across programs and policy actions

2. Engage youth as stakeholders throughout the policymaking process, not just at the consultation stage or as end beneficiaries

3. Simplify communication so that policies are accessible and understandable, reaching people where they are in their own context

Drawing from her experience as a former Global Youth Ambassador for Southeast Asia at Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), Jitsai stressed that the principle of Leave No One Behind must go beyond slogans. It must guide how we listen, design, and act.

Youth as Changemakers, not Afterthoughts

Y4E SEA’s participation is a strong signal that youth must no longer be seen as a footnote in ASEAN’s development journey. They are central to the solution.

“Inclusion means including all age groups and valuing them as co creators of ASEAN’s future.”

From energy transition to economic resilience, ASEAN’s path forward requires bold intergenerational collaboration, starting today.

The Regional Socialisation of the AEC Strategic Plan 2026-2030 is a key step for ASEAN’s future. But real change depends on turning ideas into action. Youth for Energy Southeast Asia (Y4E SEA) is a youth-led network working to empower young people in energy transition and sustainability. We believe youth should be heard, trusted, and involved in shaping a fairer, greener ASEAN where no one is left behind.