ASEAN
ASEAN – “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”
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). It is a regional intergovernmental organization formed to promote political, economic, and social cooperation and regional stability among countries in Southeast Asia.
FOUNDING FATHERS OF ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
- Signed by:
- Adam Malik – Indonesia
- Narciso R. Ramos – Philippines
- Tun Abdul Razak – Malaysia
- Rajaratnam – Singapore
- Thanat Khoman – Thailand
BACKGROUND:
The South East Asian region was facing political instability, communist insurgencies, and tensions between neighbouring countries. So, there was a need to reduce external influence (especially from the US and Soviet Union during the Cold War). The countries wanted to cooperate economically to reduce poverty and dependency on former colonial powers and to build trust and unity among Southeast Asian countries that had previously been divided by ideology or conflict.
MEMBER STATES: 11 Members
Including, 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 25 October 2025 making up what is today the eleven Member States of ASEAN.
* Timor-Leste, or East Timor, is a Southeast Asian nation occupying half the island of Timor, while West Timor is part of the Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia.
Observer status: Papua New Guinea
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE:
Headquarters : ASEAN Secretariat- Jakarta, Indonesia.
- The ASEAN Summit :
- The highest policy-making body in ASEAN comprising the Head of States or Government of ASEAN Member States.
- The ASEAN Summit is held twice annually.
- The summit is to be hosted by the ASEAN Member State holding the ASEAN Chairmanship.
- The ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC)
- Comprises the ASEAN Foreign Ministers and meets at least twice a year to prepare for the ASEAN Summit.
- The ACC coordinates the implementation of the mandate of ASEAN Leaders and all cross-pillar initiatives of ASEAN.
- The ASEAN Community Councils
It consists of Community Councils representing all three pillars of ASEAN, each overseeing the respective ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies.
- APSC Council – ASEAN Political- Security Community Council
- AEC Council – ASEAN Economic Community Council
- ASCC Council – ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council
ASEAN – EXTERNAL RELATIONS
- ASEAN Plus Three (APT): ASEAN + China, Japan, South Korea.
- East Asia Summit (EAS): ASEAN + 8 countries (India, China, Japan, S. Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, USA).
- ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): Promotes security dialogue among 27 countries.
These frameworks extend ASEAN’s influence beyond Southeast Asia.
FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS
- ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) – Intra-ASEAN agreement
- ASEAN–China Free Trade Area (ACFTA)
- ASEAN–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP)
- ASEAN–Korea Free Trade Area (AKFTA)
- ASEAN–India Free Trade Area (AIFTA)
- ASEAN–Australia–New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA)
- ASEAN–Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement (AHKFTA)
- Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – ASEAN + China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand
