Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered pre-recorded remarks at the Roundtable Discussion titled “Pakistan and ASEAN: Partners in Peace, Progress, and Regional Prosperity.” Held on 7 August 2025, the Roundtable Discussion was organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, and the ASEAN Committee in Islamabad (ACI). In his video remarks, Dr. Kao highlighted the need to advance cooperation between ASEAN and Pakistan on mutual areas of cooperation, including by leveraging on Pakistan’s strengths, which could contribute to realising ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future. Moving forward, Dr. Kao emphasised the need for ASEAN and Pakistan to uphold multilateralism and promote inclusive regionalism.
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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, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.Menu - WHAT WE DO
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
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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.
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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
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