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 received a new artwork at the ASEAN Gallery. Titled ‘The Beetle’s Journey,’ the artwork was created by Ms. Souphalak Phongsavath, an artist from Lao People’s Democratic Republic, during her residency in Osaka, Japan la
Jakarta, 29 October 2025 — Ambassador Natércia Cipriano Coelho da Silva presented her Letter of Credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat, on 29 October 2025, formally commencing her tenure as the Permanent Representative of the De
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received a courtesy call by the Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Moussa Saleh Batraki, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat, marking the first-ever meeting between the two Secretaries-G
At the invitation of H.E Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin, Minister of Defence of Malaysia, and Chair of ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) for 2025, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will lead the ASEAN Secretariat delegation to participate in the 19th ADMM, 12th ADMM-Plu
The 28th ASEAN-China Summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 28 October 2025. The Summit was chaired by the Honourable Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Chair of ASEAN. The Summit was attended by ASEAN Member States and H.E. Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council o
The 5th ASEAN-Australia Summit was held on 28 October 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Summit was chaired by the Honourable Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Chair of ASEAN, and was attended by ASEAN Member States, and the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minis
After four consecutive days of meetings, the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits drew to a close. Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, witnessed the handover of the ASEAN Chairmanship from Malaysia to the Philippines during the Closing Ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summi
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today witnessed the signing of the ASEAN-New Zealand Air Services Agreement (ANZ-ASA) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the margins of the ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Summit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The signing comes at an important juncture as
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today attended the 5th ASEAN-Australia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Summit underlined the importance of the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and reaffirmed both sides’ commitment to further strengthening the partners
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today took part in the ASEAN-New Zealand Gala Lunch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Gala Lunch was convened after the conclusion of the ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Summit, which marked an important milestone in ASEAN-New Zealand relations, as
