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
Overview
Dialogue relationship between ASEAN and the U.S. was started in 1977 and has progressively improved since. U.S. is a major economic partner for ASEAN; the U.S. remains ASEAN’s largest source of foreign direct investment and second largest trading partner. In 2024, total two-way trade bet
Integration with Global Economy
ASEAN-US Economic Relation Key Documents Rules of Procedure for Private Sector Engagement under the ASEAN Economic Community (ROP)
ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Priority Areas of Cooperation to Enhance PPE It is important for the private sector to understand t Overview public-private-sector-engagement-ppetransparent600#0060a9 Overview
Key Priority Areas – Strategic Action Plan on SME Development 2026-2030 Regional MSME development is guided by the Strategic Action Plan on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development 2026–2030 (S
Key Documents
Guidelines
Major Business Councils Engaging ASEAN
ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC)
As the APEX private sector body of ASEAN, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) serves as the principal platform for business leaders across the region to engage with policymakers. Established in April
Priority Areas of Cooperation to Enhance PPE
The AEC Strategic Plan 2026-2030 calls for efforts to engage the business sector and community-based organisations more effectively, to build an Inclusive, Participatory, and Collaborative Community.
Overview
The private sector is a key stakeholder in ASEAN’s economic integration and has been an integral part of ASEAN strategies since the AEC Blueprint 2025, which emphasised the importance of structured Public-Private sector engagement (PPE) in shaping an inclusive, competitive, and resilient
Public-Private Sector Engagement (PPE)
Key Priority Areas
Strategic Action Plan on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development 2026 – 2030:
