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 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
PHNOM PENH, 8 September 2026 –The 21st ASEAN GO-NGO Forum on Social Welfare and Development convened virtually today, putting forward actionable recommendations for social welfare and development reforms to support the region’s most vulnerable groups.
Under the theme, “Strengthening So
At the invitation of the Chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Bin Fateh Din, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will participate in the M360 ASEAN, co-hosted by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) and
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today participated and delivered Keynote Address at the 2026 DEFA Foresight and Strategic Cooperation Pre-Summit Forumin Hong Kong, China, where he outlined ASEAN’s vision for regional integration and opportunities for deeper economic cooperation. SG
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received H.E. Wang Song, Member of the Standing Committee and Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. Both sides exchanged views on ASEAN–China relations and discu
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Dr. Florika Fink-Hooijer, Director-General of the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG-HERA) of the European Commission, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. The Meeting recalled the
Following his participation in the 2026 DEFA Foresight and Strategic Cooperation Pre-Summit Forum, organised by the ASEAN-Hong Kong Economic and Trade Center (AHKETC), Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn (SG Dr. Kao) will attend the 11th Belt and Road Summit at the invitation of the Govern
At the invitation of Mr. John Luo, Deputy Chairman of the ASEAN–Hong Kong Economic and Trade Center (AHKETC), Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn will lead the ASEAN Secretariat’s delegation to participate in the 2026 DEFA Foresight and Strategic Cooperation Pre-Summit Forum, in Hong K
