The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, Cambodia on 30 April 1999, and Timor-Leste on 26 October 2025 making up what is today the eleven Member States of ASEAN.
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, Cambodia on 30 April 1999, and Timor-Leste on 26 October 2025 making up what is today the eleven Member States of ASEAN.
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
The Fifth ASEAN Economic Ministers – the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (AEM-UK) Consultation was held on 25 September 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Consultation was co-chaired by H.E. Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of M
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today participated in the 30th AEM-CER Consultation held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Meeting underscored the critical importance of operationalising the Second Protocol of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) and leveragi
The Thirtieth ASEAN Economic Ministers-Closer Economic Relations (AEM-CER) Consultation was held on 25 September 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Consultation was co-chaired by H.E. Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Malaysia; Senator the Hon Don F
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today joined other Ministers from ASEAN Member States and that of Dialogue Partners of ASEAN in the 4th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministers’ Meeting held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Meeting underscored the importance of dee
ASEAN alongside Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea gathered in Kuala Lumpur on 25 September 2025 for the Fourth RCEP Ministers’ Meeting. The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, Vice Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia and H.E. Yoji Mu
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered pre-recorded remarks for the Introductory Dialogue among the Five ASEAN Dialogue Partner Centres held in Osaka, Japan. In his message, Dr. Kao underscored the importance of broader cooperation among the Centres, emphasising how coordina
The 23rd Meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) Plus Three convened at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. The Meeting reviewed the progress of implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Cooperation Work Plan (2023-2027) and discussed the preparations for the 2
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with the Minister for Trade of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Yeo Han-Koo, on the margins of the 57th AEM Meeting and Related Meetings, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They discussed the progress of the implementation of the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Ar
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today held a bilateral meeting with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department for Business and Trade and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology of the United Kingdom, H.E. Liz Lloyd, on the margins of the 57th ASEAN Economic Mini
