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
Upon the conclusion of the Symposium on Economic Resilience Strategy for Japan and ASEAN, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, participated in a business lunch hosted by Keidanren at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo, on 6 March 2026. The luncheon brought together Japanese business leaders, ASEAN
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, gave a media interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, in Tokyo, Japan, on 6 March 2026. During the media interview, SG Dr. Kao addressed a wide range of issues, including strengthening ASEAN-Japan economic cooperation through the Regional Comprehe
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 6 March 2026, met with former Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Kishida Fumio, in Tokyo, Japan, on the sidelines of his participation in the Symposium on Economic Resilience Strategy for Japan and ASEAN. During the meeting, Dr. Kao and H.E. Kishida high
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 6 March 2026, delivered the keynote speech at the Symposium on Economic Resilience Strategy for Japan and ASEAN in Tokyo, Japan. In his remarks, SG Dr. Kao emphasised the importance of industrial cooperation, supply chain resilience, and sustainable
JAKARTA, 6 MARCH 2026 – ASEAN and Canada renew commitment to further strengthening their strategic partnership at the 14th Meeting of the ASEAN-Canada Joint Cooperation Committee held at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat today.
The meeting shared updates on the developments in AS
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 6 March 2026, met with the State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, H.E. Ino Toshiro, in Tokyo, Japan, on the margins of his participation in the Symposium on Economic Resilience Strategy for Japan and ASEAN. During the meeting, they
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 6 March 2026, met with H.E. Koichi Hagiuda, Chairman of the ERIA Parliamentary League and Acting Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party, on the margins of his participation in the Symposium on Economic Resilience Strategy for Japan and AS
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered remarks at a dinner reception held at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo, on 5 March 2026, bringing together Ambassadors of ASEAN Members in Tokyo, members of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) Parliamentary League, and repr
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 5 March 2026, had a media interview with TV Tokyo’s World Business Satellite, in Tokyo, Japan, on the sidelines of his participation in the Symposium on Economic Resilience Strategy for Japan and ASEAN.
During the media interview, SG Dr
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 5 March 2026, met with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, H.E. Motegi Toshimitsu, in Tokyo, Japan, on the sidelines of his participation in the Symposium on Economic Resilience Strategy for Japan and ASEAN. Both sides exchanged views on ASEAN-Ja
