ASEAN Summit
The ASEAN Summit is the highest policy-making body in ASEAN comprising the Heads of State or Government of ASEAN Member States. As per regular practice, the ASEAN Summit Meetings shall be held twice annually at a time to be determined by the Chair of the ASEAN Summit in consultation with other ASEAN Member States, to be hosted by the ASEAN Member State holding the ASEAN Chairmanship. The First ASEAN Summit was held in Bali, Indonesia on 23-24 February 1976.
The ASEAN Summit may also be convened whenever necessary, as special or ad hoc meetings to be chaired by the Member State holding the ASEAN Chairmanship, at venues to be agreed upon by ASEAN Member States. Such Summits were held in April 2020, namely the Special ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). As stipulated in Article 7 of the ASEAN Charter, the ASEAN Summit shall:
- be the supreme policy-making body of ASEAN;
- deliberate, provide policy guidance and take decisions on key issues pertaining to the realisation of the objectives of ASEAN, important matters of interest to Member States and all issues referred to it by the ASEAN Coordinating Council, the ASEAN Community Councils and ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies;
- instruct the relevant Ministers in each of the Councils concerned to hold ad hoc inter-Ministerial meetings, and address important issues concerning ASEAN that cut across the Community Councils. Rules of procedure for such meetings shall be adopted by the ASEAN Coordinating Council;
- address emergency situations affecting ASEAN by taking appropriate actions;
- authorize the establishment and the dissolution of Sectoral Ministerial Bodies and other ASEAN institutions; and
- appoint the Secretary-General of ASEAN, with the rank and status of Minister, who will serve with the confidence and at the pleasure of the Heads of State or Government upon the recommendation of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting.
The ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) is the body responsible for preparing for the ASEAN Summit. The ACC also coordinates the implementation of agreements and decisions of the ASEAN Summit, coordinates the reports of the ASEAN Community Council to the ASEAN Summit, and undertake other functions as may be assigned by the ASEAN Summit.
ASEAN Summit Documents
The ASEAN Summit’s staple document is the Chairman’s Statement, which summarizes/takes stock of ASEAN’s achievements and expected deliverables of a Chairmanship year. Additionally, numerous documents are also considered and adopted by the Leaders at the ASEAN Summits, on key issues pertaining to the realization of the objectives of ASEAN, important matters of interest to Member States and all issues referred to it by the ASEAN Coordinating Council, the ASEAN Community Councils and ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies.
