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
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivers pre-recorded remarks at the launch of Advancing ASEAN: A Strategic Action Plan Supporting the Philippines’ 2026 Chairship of ASEAN, jointly developed by the
Bangkok, 28 April 2026– The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) brought together more than 70 representatives from across the region and Europe in Bangkok on 27–28 April to explore how cities can put human rights at the centre of urban development.
The Regional Foru
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today gave an interview to The Scoop, on the sidelines of the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. Dr. Kao congratulated Brunei Darussalam on its successful hosting of the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting, and s
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today had a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, H.E. Dr. Constantinos Kombos, on the sidelines of the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. They exchanged
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, attended the Gala Dinner hosted by The Honourable Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam, as the Country Coordinator for ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations, on the occasion of the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today held a bilateral meeting with The Honourable Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam, on the sidelines of the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan. During the meeting, Dr. Kao expresse
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E. Florian Hahn, on the sidelines of the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussal
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today held a bilateral meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, H.E. Artjoms Uršuļskis, on the margins of the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. They exchanged views
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today held a bilateral meeting with High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP), H.E. Kaja Kallas, on the sidelines of the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) in Bandar Seri Begawan
At the invitation of the Honourable Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, the Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, as the Country Coordinator for ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will lead the ASEAN Secretariat’s delegation to participate in the 2
