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
JAKARTA, 12 January 2026 – Ambassador Prinat Apirat presented her Letter of Credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat today, formally commencing her tenure as the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Thailand to ASEAN.
JAKARTA, 12 January 2026 – Ambassador Noy Choumneanh presented his Letters of Credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, at a Ceremony held at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat today, marking the commencement of his tenure as the Permanent Representative of the Kin
H.E. San Lwin, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, delivered welcoming remarks at the AJPAP 2025 Artwork Handover and Final Presentation at the ASEAN Headquarters. The event was attended by H.E. YONETANI Koji, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN, and Dr. Yuri S
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today engaged in an interview with Xinhua News Agency, in Jakarta, to reflect on ASEAN’s development over the past year. The discussion highlighted the deepening ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on economic recovery, regional
At the invitation of H.E. Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Science and Technology of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will lead the ASEAN Secretariat’s delegation to participate in the 6th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting (ADGMIN) and related meeti
9 January 2026 marked H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn’s third year in office as the Secretary-General of ASEAN. Through sustained high-level engagements with the ASEAN Member States, Dialogue Partners, external partners and other stakeholders, SG Dr. Kao continued to strengthen ASEAN cooperation, rela
H.E. San Lwin, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, received Dr. Suwit Mangkhala, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Thailand to ASEAN, at the ASEAN Secretariat today, 9 January 2026, for a courtesy visit. The meeting focused
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received a courtesy call from the new Secretary General of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), H.E. Dr. Chem Widhya, who has just assumed office on 1 January 2026, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat.
Dr. Kao warmly cong
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, H.E. Maria Tripodi, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They discussed the progress and achievements of the ASEAN-Italy Devel
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community, H.E. Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz, met with Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN, H.E. Yonetani Koji, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat today. They exchanged views on ASEAN-Japan cooperation, including collaboration on t
