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 25 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 25 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
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received a Courtesy Call from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Director ad interim for Asia and the Pacific, Dr. Aleksander Sasha Bodiroza, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat, in Jakarta. Their discussion focused on wa
JAKARTA, 23 February 2026 – Ambassador Tornike Nozadze presented his Letter of Credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat today, marking the assumption of his post as the Ambassador of Georgia to ASEAN.
Secretary-Ge
1. H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, undertook a working visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, from 11 to 17 February 2026, in conjunction with his participation in the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2026. The visit coincided with the 10th anniversary of the ASEAN–Germany
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 17 February 2026, spoke at Fireside Conversation hosted by Freie University Berlin, on the sidelines of his working visit to Germany. Under the theme “Regional Stability Amid Global Disorder,” SG Dr. Kao emphasised the importance of dialogue and
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 17 February 2026, participated in the ASEAN-Germany Business Roundtable: “ASEAN’s Evolving Role in a Changing World,” on the margins of his working visit to Germany. The discussion reflected on ASEAN’s geostrategic significance in the global
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 17 February 2026, participated in a Dialogue hosted by the Hertie School Governance, The University of Governance in Berlin, in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), as part of his working visit to German
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 16 February 2026, participated in a Dialogue Forum with leading German think tanks hosted by Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) in Berlin, Germany, during his working visit to Germany. Under the topic “Strategic Trends in Europe-Asia Relation
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 16 February 2026, met with the Director of Bundestag, Mr. Paul Göttke, during his working visit to Germany. Both sides exchanged views on ASEAN-Germany relations and explored ways to further substantiate the ASEAN-Germany Development Partnership.
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 16 February 2026, held a lunch meeting with the Director for Asia-Pacific Department of the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Frank Hartmann, during his working visit to Germany. Both sides exchanged views on ASEAN-Germa
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 15 February 2026, participated in the Munich Security Conference (MSC) Breakfast Session, themed “Bridges or Battlegrounds? Science Diplomacy between Hard Power and Big Tech.” SG Dr. Kao joined global leaders and experts in high-level discussion
