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 European Union (EU) Heads of Missions Meeting as a Special Guest. The event was held at the Mission of the EU to ASEAN. SG Dr. Kao delivered remarks on the future direction of the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership ahead o
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered pre-recorded Opening Remarks at the 2025 ASEAN ICT Forum on Child Online Protection, held in Kuala, Lumpur, Malaysia, on 18-19 November 2025. Under the theme “Empowering Children and Strengthening ASEAN’s Commitment to a Safer Digital Fut
BANGKOK, 18 November 2025 – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO), launched the ASEAN Roadmap for the Prevention of Child Labour Including the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour by 2035. Recognised by the
Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today warmly welcomed H.E. Dr. Chem Widhya, incoming ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Secretary General, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. Dr. Kao congratulated Dr. Chem Widhya on his appointment and looked forward
The 23rd ASEAN and Japan Transport Ministers Meeting (23rd ATM+Japan) was held on 20 November 2025 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. The Meeting was preceded by the 24th ASEAN and Japan Senior Transport Officials Meeting (24th STOM+Japan) held on 18 November 2025.ASEAN Member States welcomed the announcemen
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered a pre-recorded keynote speech at the Opening Session of the Senior Executive Programme in Disaster Management (SEPDM) 2025, held in Singapore. In his speech, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn underscored the importance of enhancing ASEAN’s collective
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered pre-recorded remarks at the Opening Session of the 7th ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue held today, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. In his remarks, Dr. Kao highlighted the importance of fostering a culture of open and constructive
At the invitation of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will lead the ASEAN Secretariat’s delegation to participate in the 31st ASEAN Transport Ministers (ATM) and its associated Meetings, to be held
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered pre-recorded opening remarks at the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) Forum 2025 with the theme “Towards an Inclusive and Sustainable Indo-Pacific” held on 15 November 2025. The Forum is organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Thirteenth ASEAN Law Ministers’ Meeting (“ALAWMM”) was hosted and chaired by the Philippines on 14 November 2025, in Manila, the Philippines. The Honourable Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the President of the Republic of the Philippines delivered the Keynote Address for the Opening Ceremony of
