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
At the 43rd ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Customs (CCC) Meeting on 12 November 2025, ASEAN held its 15th ASEAN–Private Sector Consultation Session, reaffirming our shared commitment to make it easier and faster to do business across ASEAN.
Customs officials and the Joint Business Council
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this evening hosted a farewell dinner for H.E. Hou Yanqi, the outgoing Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to ASEAN. The occasion provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on the ASEAN–China Comprehensive Strategic Partnersh
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today witnessed the signing ceremony of the Cash Assistance Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), which took place at the
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with the Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), Associate Professor Simon Tay, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They discussed follow-up to the second ASEAN Think Tanks Summit (ATTS), held in Jakarta,
JAKARTA, 12 November 2025 – ASEAN and GCC reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening ASEAN-GCC relations and explored new avenues for cooperation across various sectors, emphasising the importance of their collaborative partnership in addressing shared challenges and opportunities.
Jakarta, 12 November 2025 – ASEAN and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reaffirmed commitment to further deepening their partnership at the 3rd Meeting of the ASEAN-UAE Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee held at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta today.
The Meeting noted th
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, received a farewell courtesy call from H.E. Hou Yanqi, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to ASEAN, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. Dr. Kao expressed his appreciation to Ambassador Hou for her dedicated service and significant
At the invitation of the Department of Justice of the Republic of the Philippines, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will lead the ASEAN Secretariat delegation to participate in the 13th ASEAN Law Ministers’ Meeting (ALAWMM) and the First ASEAN-Japan Law Ministers’ Meeting to be he
BOHOL, 12 November 2025 – Empowering women and children by strengthening their leadership in upholding their rights is central to shaping an inclusive ASEAN Community beyond 2025. This commitment was strongly reaffirmed at the 31st Meeting of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection o
