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 courtesy call by a delegation from the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), led by Mr. Jiang Zeting, Chair of the University Council, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. The meeting provided an opportun
JAKARTA, 25 March 2026 – The ASEAN Secretariat is pleased to announce the release of The ASEAN Magazine, Issue No. 49–50, titled ASEAN’s Roots and Reefs: Nature’s Strongholds.
This edition opens with reflections from Secretary Rex Gatchalian of the Philippine Department of Social Wel
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community, H.E. Satvinder Singh, met with H.E. Shi Zhongjun, Secretary-General of the ASEAN–China Centre (ACC), at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. The meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on enhancing colla
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore, H.E. Gan Kim Yong, at the sidelines of the 32nd AEM Retreat, in Taguig, the Philippines. They discussed a wide range of topics under the ASEAN Economic Community
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers convened a Special Meeting on 13 March 2026, via videoconference, to exchange views on the evolving situation in the Middle East and to address its implications for ASEAN. The Meeting expressed serious concern over the escalation of conflict in the Middle East following
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this afternoon participated in the Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the Situation in the Middle East, held via videoconference and chaired by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, H.E. Theresa P. Lazaro. The meeting discuss
We, the ASEAN Economic Ministers, met at the 32nd ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat in Taguig, the Philippines, and exchanged views on the evolving global and regional situation including the tension in the Middle East and its potential implications for the ASEAN region and global and regional ec
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today participated in the 32nd ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat (AEM Retreat) held in Taguig, the Philippines. The AEM Retreat was chaired by the Secretary of Trade and Industry of the Philippines and Chair of the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, H.E. Nararya S. Soeprapto, today delivered keynote remarks at the ASEAN Law Forum on Export Control Legal Frameworks in ASEAN and Cooperation through the ASEAN Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, held on 12-13
MANILA, 12 MARCH 2026 – The ASEAN Committee on Sustainable Infrastructure (ACSI) held its first meeting of the year today in Manila, under the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairship. The meeting was chaired by Joseph J Capuno, Undersecretary of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (D
