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
Following his participation in the 2026 DEFA Foresight and Strategic Cooperation Pre-Summit Forum, organised by the ASEAN-Hong Kong Economic and Trade Center (AHKETC), Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn (SG Dr. Kao) will attend the 11th Belt and Road Summit at the invitation of the Govern
At the invitation of Mr. John Luo, Deputy Chairman of the ASEAN–Hong Kong Economic and Trade Center (AHKETC), Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn will lead the ASEAN Secretariat’s delegation to participate in the 2026 DEFA Foresight and Strategic Cooperation Pre-Summit Forum, in Hong K
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received Mr. Mark Lee, Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and incoming Chair of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) for 2027, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. The discussion focused on strengthening ASEAN
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with H.E Tomonoh Rio, Parliamentary Vice Minister of the Ministry of Environment, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They exchanged views on the implementation of the ASEAN-Japan Strategic Programme for ASEAN on Climate and Environm
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today bade farewell to the outgoing Ambassador of Sudan to ASEAN, H.E. Dr. Yassir Mohamed Ali Mohamed, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. Dr. Kao congratulated Ambassador Dr. Yassir on the successful completion of his tenure as Ambassador of
JAKARTA, 2 September 2026 – H.E. Marina Rafti presented her Letter of Credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat today, marking the official assumption of her role as the Ambassador of the EU to ASEAN.
Secretary-General Dr. Ka
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with Chief Executive Officer of PT Krakatau Steel (PTKS) Dr. Muhamad Akbar and his delegation at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They discussed PTKS’s role in Indonesia’s steel industry and its integrated industrial
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with H.E. Wang Qing, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to ASEAN, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. Both sides took the opportunity to exchange views on ASEAN–China relations and key priorities and activities this yea
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), H.E. Sam Hou Fai, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. Both sides discussed potentials for exchanges and cooperation between ASEAN and Macao SAR in areas of mutual
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, on 31 August 2026, participated and delivered a Special Address in the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Phnom Penh Logistics Complex (PPLC), in Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia. The PPLC, a joint initiative involving Singapore’s YCH Group and Cambodia
