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
Major Committees and Sectoral Bodies
NAME OF SECTORAL BODY
DESCRIPTION
FREQUENCY
REPORTING MECHANISM
CHAIRMANSHIP
MECHANISM
ASEAN Ministers/Attorneys-General Meeting of the Central Authorities in Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters
(AMAG-MLAT)
Review the work progress an
Priority Areas of Cooperation
Support and facilitate mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, including monitoring and ensuring effective implementation of the MLAT;
Initiate capacity-building and training programmes to support the AMS to implement the MLAT, such as considering the improvement
Overview
The work towards a Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (MLAT) was initially explored by Malaysia at the 8th ASLOM held on 15 – 16 June 2002 in Bangkok, Thailand. The proposal aimed to support and strengthen ASEAN Member States’ effort and capacity to combat transnation
Publications and Related Links to The Sector
ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime Key Documents ASEAN Plan of Action in Combatting Transnational Crime (2026-2035) Major Sectoral Bodies/Committees Priority Areas of Cooperation Cyber security issues related to defence and military establishments fall under the purview of the ASEAN defence sector. Priority areas of cooperation under this sector aims to: (i) enhance awareness on cyber security challenges; (ii) leverage capabilities among ASEAN Overview
Key Documents
Plan of Actions
Major Sectoral Bodies/Committees
Relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies and ASEAN-led mechanisms have been working on cyber security issues, namely the ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting (ADGMIN) and the ASEAN Digital Senior Officials’ Meeting (ADGSOM) as its subsidiary body, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF
Priority Areas of Cooperation
Overview
In recent years, ASEAN has seen significant progress in internet and computer connectivity with rapid increase in the penetration rate of internet users. This increasing reliance upon the internet, however, has created number of cyberthreats that can cause not only immense harm to individua
