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, today joined H.E. Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, and H.E. Dato’ Seri DiRaja Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir, Minister of Higher Education of Malaysia, in touring the exhibitions and booths of the Festival of Id
At the invitation of the Akademi Kepemimpinan Pendidikan Tinggi (AKEPT), Malaysia’s premier higher education leadership academy, under the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will participate in the ASEAN Higher Education Leadership Forum (
Following the successful conclusion of the 19th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and 12th ADMM-Plus in Malaysia, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, joined the Defence Ministers from ASEAN Member States and Dialogue Partners Countries in a Gala Dinner hosted by H.E. Dato’ Seri Kh
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today had an impromptu meeting with H.E. General Tea Seiha, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of the Kingdom of Cambodia, on the margins of sidelines of the 19th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), 12th ADMM-Plus and Related
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today participated in the ASEAN-Japan Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting, convened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Meeting exchanged views on regional and international security issues and explored potential areas of defence cooperation between ASEAN
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 1 November 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, attended the Chairmanship Handover Ceremony of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus from Malaysia to the Republic of the Philippines. The Philippines will officially assume the defen
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met in a pull-aside meeting with the Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines, Dr. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on the sidelines of the 12th ADMM-Plus and Related Meetings, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Meeting discussed the preparations for th
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Kao Kim Hourn, today held a pull-aside meeting with the Minister of Defence of Japan, H.E. Koizumi Shinjirō, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the sidelines of the 12th ADMM-Plus and Related Meetings. Dr. Kao congratulated Minister Koizumi on his recent appointment and l
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today held a pull-aside meeting with the Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Ahn Gyu-Back, on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dr. Kao congratulated Minister Gy
