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, today participated in the 15th AEM-Canada Consultation held in Manila, the Philippines.
The Meeting welcomed the progress made during the first year of implementation of the ASEAN-Canada Joint Declaration on Trade and Investment for 2026
The Fifteenth ASEAN Economic Ministers Canada (AEM-Canada) Consultation was held on 22 September 2026 in Manila, Philippines. The Consultation was co-chaired by H.E. Ma. Cristina A. Roque, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines and the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minist
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade of Canada, on margins of the 58th AEM and Related Meetings in Manila, the Philippines. They discussed the ongoing negotiations of the ASEAN-Canada FTA and exchanged views on
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today participated in the 15th AEM-Russia Consultation held in Manila, the Philippines.
The Meeting endorsed the ASEAN-Russia Strategic Programme on Trade and Investment Cooperation for 2026–2035 (SPTI), providing a renewed framework for
The Fifteenth ASEAN Economic Ministers-Russia (AEM-Russia) Consultation was held on 22 September 2026 in Manila, Philippines. The Consultation was co-chaired by H.E. Ma. Cristina A. Roque, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines and H.E. Vladimir Ilyichev, Deputy Minist
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today participated in the 23rd AEM-India Consultation held in Manila, the Philippines.
The Meeting discussed the progress made and the efforts undertaken to advance the Review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), and reaff
The Twenty-Third ASEAN Economic Ministers–India (AEM-India) Consultation was held on 22 September 2026 in Manila, Philippines. The Consultation was co-chaired by H.E. Ma. Cristina A. Roque, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, and H.E. Nitin Kumar Yadav, Additiona
The Sixth ASEAN Economic Ministers – the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (AEM-UK) Consultation was held on 22 September 2026 in Manila, Philippines. The Consultation was co-chaired by H.E. Ma. Cristina A. Roque, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philipp
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered a Pre-Recorded Address at the ASEAN Peace Education High-Level Conference held in Quezon City, the Philippines. In his remarks, Dr. Kao highlighted the role of peace education in promoting dialogue, inclusion, and responsible digital ci
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today participated in the 6th AEM-UK Consultation in Manila, the Philippines.
The Meeting welcomed the progress made in the implementation of the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP) and the ASEAN-UK Economic Work Plan. To mark t
