At the invitation of the University of Warwick and the United Kingdom Mission to ASEAN, respectively, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn will lead the ASEAN Secretariat’s delegation to participate in the Warwick Economics Summit 2026, followed by a working visit to the United Kingdom, on 6-11 February 2026. During the working visit, Dr. Kao is scheduled to meet with high-level government officials, representatives of the private sector and members of academia, among others. Coinciding with the 5th Anniversary of the Establishment of ASEAN-UK Dialogue Relations this year, the visit aims to promote ASEAN-UK relations, with a view to strengthening cooperation and collaboration across the political-security, economic, and socio-cultural pillars. To advance ASEAN diplomacy and visibility, Dr. Kao will deliver a keynote speech at the Warwick Economics Summit 2026 on the topic of “ASEAN: A Community with Vision, Purpose and Promise.” He will also deliver a lecture at SOAS University of London, and have a dialogue session at the Asia House.
- ABOUT ASEAN
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.
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
Menu - WHO WE WORK WITH
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.
Menu - OUR COMMUNITIES
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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