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
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered remarks at a dinner reception held at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo, on 5 March 2026, bringing together Ambassadors of ASEAN Members in Tokyo, members of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) Parliamentary League, and repr
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 5 March 2026, had a media interview with TV Tokyo’s World Business Satellite, in Tokyo, Japan, on the sidelines of his participation in the Symposium on Economic Resilience Strategy for Japan and ASEAN.
During the media interview, SG Dr
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 5 March 2026, met with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, H.E. Motegi Toshimitsu, in Tokyo, Japan, on the sidelines of his participation in the Symposium on Economic Resilience Strategy for Japan and ASEAN. Both sides exchanged views on ASEAN-Ja
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered his keynote remarks via video recording for the Joint Webinar of the ASEAN Federation of Accountants (AFA), Pacific Accountants (CAPA), and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), with the theme “Navigating a Changed Worl
Deputy-Secretary General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, H.E. Nararya S. Soeprapto, welcomed Group Chief Sustainability Officer of Maybank, Datuk Shahril Azuar Jimin, today at the ASEAN Secretariat/ Headquarters. DSG Nararya and Datuk Shahril explored ways to further strengthen cooper
Deputy Secretary-General for Community and Corporate Affairs, H.E. Nararya S. Soeprapto, received Prof. Tan Sri Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, the Executive Director of Sunway Centre for Planetary Health and the Recipient of ASEAN Prize in 2019, in a courtesy meeting on 5 March 2026 at the ASEAN Secretariat.
Makati City, Philippines, 05 March 2026 – The 35th Meeting of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council brought together ministers and senior officials of ASEAN Member States to chart the strategic directions for the ASCC towards the realisation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
The 35th ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council Meeting was held on 05 March 2026 in Makati City, Philippines. The Meeting was chaired by His Excellency Rex Gatchalian, Secretary of Social Welfare and Development of the Philippines. It was attended by ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secret
After a successful conclusion of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit (CABS) 2026, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 4 March 2026, attended the Gala Dinner hosted by H.E. Hun Many, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Civil Service of Cambodia, in Phnom Penh. The occasion brought tog
