ULAN BATOR, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia has approved a national program to promote youth development, local media reported Thursday, citing the country's Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.

"Developing young people is very important for any country's development and future," the country's Minister of Labor and Social Protection Sodnom Chinzorig said in a statement on the ministry's website.

"The program aims to create favorable conditions for youth to contribute as active members of society to the political, civil, economic, social and cultural development of the country and provide them with opportunities to develop their lifelong learning skills," Chinzorig added.

From 2019 to 2022, a total of 72 activities will be done to improve education at all stages, promote youth development, increase youth engagement in sustainable development, and create living as well as learning environments that are safe and friendly, he said.

Mongolia is an East Asian country with a population of 3.2 million. Currently, 33.7 percent of the total population and 46.5 percent of the working-age population are young people aged 15-34, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.