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
The 2nd Interface Meeting of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) was held on 21 May 2026 at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat.
The Meeting was chaired by the Acting AICHR Chair and Alternate Representative of the Philippines t
Senior Officials of ASEAN Member States and China met on 21 May 2026 in Kuala Lumpur for the 26th ASEAN-China SOM-DOC, which was held consecutively with the 32nd ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Consultation (ACSOC). The Meeting reviewed progress in implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of
The 32nd ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Consultation convened today in Kuala Lumpur. The Meeting reviewed the progress of ASEAN–China relations and discussed future cooperation, particularly in light of the 5th anniversary of the ASEAN–China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP)
The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights and the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN held their 17th Interface Meeting on 21 May 2026 at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. The Meeting focused on efforts and measures to strengthen cooperation and cross-sectoral colla
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered remarks at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the construction of Timor-Leste’s International Convention Centre (ICC), in Dili. The Ceremony was officiated by H.E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Tim
The 2nd Interface Meeting of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and Norway was held on 20 May 2026 at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat.
The Meeting was chaired by the Acting Chair and Alternate Representative of the Philippines to AICHR, Bolivar L. Bao, an
At the invitation of H.E. Wang Wen Tao, Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and Chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Meeting for 2026, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will participate in the 32nd APEC MRT Mee
The 5th Interface Meeting of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the Mission of Japan to ASEAN was held on 20 May 2026 at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat.
The Meeting was chaired by the Acting AICHR Chair and Alternate Representative of the Philippines
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today attended the commemoration of the 24th Anniversary of the Restoration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, in Dili. The occasion reflected Timor-Leste’s remarkable journey of peace, stability, prosperity, resilience, natio
JAKARTA and MONTRÉAL, 19 May 2026 -Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to collaborate on a ran
