ESTABLISHMENT
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, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and
Thailand.
Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7
January 1984, 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.
AIMS AND PURPOSES
As set out in the ASEAN Declaration,
the aims and purposes of ASEAN are:
1. To
accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the
region through joint endeavours in the spirit of equality and partnership in
order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of
Southeast Asian Nations;
2. To
promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and
the rule of law in the relationship among countries of the region and adherence
to the principles of the United Nations Charter;
3. To
promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common
interest in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and
administrative fields;
4. To
provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research
facilities in the educational, professional, technical and administrative
spheres;
5. To
collaborate more effectively for the greater utilisation of their agriculture
and industries, the expansion of their trade, including the study of the
problems of international commodity trade, the improvement of their transportation
and communications facilities and the raising of the living standards of their
peoples;
6. To
promote Southeast Asian studies; and
7. To
maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and
regional organisations with similar aims and purposes, and explore all avenues
for even closer cooperation among themselves.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
In their relations with one another,
the ASEAN Member States have adopted the following fundamental principles, as
contained in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of
1976:
1. Mutual
respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and
national identity of all nations;
2. The
right of every State to lead its national existence free from external
interference, subversion or coercion;
3. Non-interference
in the internal affairs of one another;
4. Settlement
of differences or disputes by peaceful manner;
5. Renunciation
of the threat or use of force; and
6. Effective
cooperation among themselves.
ASEAN COMMUNITY
The ASEAN Vision 2020, adopted by
the ASEAN Leaders on the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN, agreed on a shared vision
of ASEAN as a concert of Southeast Asian nations, outward looking, living in
peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic
development and in a community of caring societies.
At the 9th ASEAN Summit in 2003, the
ASEAN Leaders resolved that an ASEAN Community shall be established.
At the 12th ASEAN Summit in January
2007, the Leaders affirmed their strong commitment to accelerate the
establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015 and signed the Cebu Declaration on
the Acceleration of the Establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015.
The ASEAN Community is comprised of
three pillars, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community, ASEAN Economic
Community and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Each pillar has its own
Blueprint, and, together with the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Strategic
Framework and IAI Work Plan Phase II (2009-2015), they form the Roadmap for an
ASEAN Community 2009-2015.
ASEAN CHARTER
The ASEAN Charter serves as a firm
foundation in achieving the ASEAN Community by providing legal status and
institutional framework for ASEAN. It also codifies ASEAN norms, rules and
values; sets clear targets for ASEAN; and presents accountability and
compliance.
The ASEAN Charter entered into force
on 15 December 2008. A gathering of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers was held at the
ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta to mark this very historic occasion for ASEAN.
With the entry into force of the
ASEAN Charter, ASEAN will henceforth operate under a new legal framework and
establish a number of new organs to boost its community-building process.
In effect, the ASEAN Charter has
become a legally binding agreement among the 10 ASEAN Member States.
1. Brunei Darussalam
Capital : Bandar Seri Begawan
Language(s) : Malay, English
Currency : B$ (Brunei Dollar)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs &
Trade of Brunei Darussalam Website: www.mfa.gov.bn
2. Cambodia
Capital : Phnom Penh
Language : Khmer
Currency : Riel
Ministry of Foreign Affairs &
International Cooperation of Cambodia Website: www.mfaic.gov.kh
3. Indonesia
Capital : Jakarta
Language : Bahasa Indonesia
Currency : Rupiah
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Indonesia Website: www.kemlu.go.id
4. Lao
Capital : Vientiane
Language : Lao
Currency : Kip
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao
PDR Website: www.mofa.gov.la
5. Malaysia
Capital : Kuala Lumpur
Language(s) : Malay, English,
Chinese, Tamil
Currency : Ringgit
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Malaysia Website: www.kln.gov.my
6. Myanmar
Capital : Nay Pyi Taw
Language : Myanmar
Currency : Kyat
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Myanmar Website: www.mofa.gov.mm
7. Philippines
Capital : Manila
Language(s) : Filipino, English,
Spanish
Currency : Peso
Department of Foreign Affairs of the
Philippines Website: www.dfa.gov.ph
8. Singapore
Capital : Singapore
Language(s) : English, Malay,
Mandarin, Tamil
Currency : S$ (Singapore Dollar)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Singapore Website: www.mfa.gov.sg
9. Thailand
Capital : Bangkok
Language : Thai
Currency : Baht
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Thailand Website: www.mfa.go.th
10. Vietnam
Capital : Ha Noi
Language : Vietnamese
Currency : Dong
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet
Nam Website: www.mofa.gov.vn
