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 pre-recorded remarks at the Ninth ASEAN–India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (9th AIMMAF), on 9 September 2026. In his remarks, SG Dr. Kao underscored the importance of strengthening ASEAN–India cooperation on food securi
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 9 September 2026, engaged with media representatives from leading regional and international news outlets during an interview on the sidelines of the 11th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong, China. Dr. Kao shared ASEAN’s perspectives on regiona
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 9 September 2026, delivered a keynote luncheon address at the 11th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong, China. In his remarks, Dr. Kao highlighted ASEAN’s transformation agenda and connectivity priorities and underscored the importance of strengthen
The ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Preparatory Senior Officials’ Meeting convened today in Manila, attended by Senior Officials or their representative from APT countries and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community. The Meeting discussed preparations for the upcoming
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered pre-recorded remarks at the Third Global Forum for Sustainable Resilience, organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) of the Republic of Indonesia, in Jakarta. In his remarks, Dr. Kao underscored the ASEAN Leaders’
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, H.E. San Lwin, delivered pre-recorded remarks at the launch of the ASEAN Regional Study Report on the Implications of the Inclusion of Labour Provisions in Free Trade Agreements on 9 September 2026 in Bali, Ind
The ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) convened today in Manila, the Philippines. The Meeting discussed preparations for the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in November 2026 as well as other matters related to ASEAN Community-building and ASEAN’s external relat
