The U.S. Embassies in Indonesia and Singapore recently hosted a regional workshop in Batam, Indonesia, and Singapore under the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). The program aimed to accelerate economic growth and innovation across maritime sectors in ASEAN and Timor-Leste. The event brought together 59 young leaders and professionals, referred to as “Blue Changemakers,” to gain skills, knowledge, and networks to foster transformative business solutions in the blue economy.
U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir highlighted the unique collaboration between the two embassies in this initiative. “This is the first time two U.S. embassies have co-sponsored a regional YSEALI workshop, and it provides an exciting opportunity to see how both Indonesia and Singapore are advancing a blue economy,” she said.
The workshop featured seminars and panel discussions on topics such as marine technology, carbon capture, fisheries, aquaculture, and marine shipping. Participants learned about the ASEAN Blue Economy Framework and other government initiatives aimed at economic growth in the region. The program also included site visits to the Batam Mariculture Development Center and Mangrove Setokok.
The initiative is not just an educational experience but a launchpad for future projects. Selected teams will receive funding through a small grants program to support innovative ventures in their home countries. Chargé d’Affaires Casey Mace of U.S. Embassy Singapore emphasized the importance of investing in future leaders: “At the heart of YSEALI is a simple but powerful idea: that the best way to ensure a safer, stronger, and more prosperous future is to invest in the next generation of changemakers.”
YSEALI, launched in 2013, focuses on strengthening leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. It aims to enhance the leadership capabilities of youth and foster ties between the United States and Southeast Asia. The workshop was developed with the collaboration of the Biji-biji Initiative from Malaysia, Divers Clean Action from Indonesia, and Seastainable from Singapore.
For more information, media queries can be directed to yseali@biji-biji.com with the subject line “Media Queries: YSEALI Blue Economy Regional Workshop,” and other inquiries should use “Program queries: YSEALI Blue Economy Regional Workshop.”