At the invitation of President of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), Professor Tetsuya Watanabe, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn today participated in the International Investment Forum on Critical Minerals in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he delivered the opening remarks, highlighting the importance of strengthening r...
1. The Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM) of ASEAN successfully resolved all outstanding issues in the negotiations of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) during its Second Meeting of the 57th ASEAN SEOM, held in Manila, Philippines on 27-29 May 2026. This marks the successful conclusion of the negotiations on ASEAN...
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Economic Community Satvinder Singh gave remarks at the opening of the ASEAN-India Bazaar 2026 in Jakarta, where he highlighted the strong momentum of ASEAN-India relations and the growing partnership across trade, investment, digital economy, connectivity, sustainability, and innovation.The Bazaar brought tog...
We, the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), gathered in Cebu, Philippines, on 8 May 2026, for the 48th ASEAN Summit under the Chairship of the Republic of the Philippines. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines, and convened in accordance with the ASEAN Charter.W...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with the Asian Development Bank President (ADB), Masato Kanda, on the margins of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines. The meeting discussed shared commitment to deepening cooperation on climate resilience, connectivity, infrastructure, and inclusive growth in support of the ASEAN 2045: Our...
The 29th ASEAN+3 Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting (AFMGM+3) took place on 3 May 2026 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan under the Co-Chairship of H.E. Joven Z. Balbosa, Undersecretary of the Department of Finance of the Philippines, H.E. Rosalia V. De Leon, Monetary Board Member of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, H.E. KATAYAMA Satsuki, Minis...
At the invitation of H.E. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines and Chair of ASEAN in 2026, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will lead the ASEAN Secretariat Delegation to participate in the 48th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings, to be held on 6 to 8 May 2026, in Cebu, the Philippines, under the theme “Naviga...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered a video message at the Opening of ASEAN Climate Week 2026, convened virtually from 27 April 2026 to 1 May 2026, under the Philippines’ 2026 ASEAN Chairship. In his address, SG Dr. Kao reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to advancing regional climate cooperation and highlighted ASEAN Climate W...
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers convened a second Special Meeting on 13 April 2026, via videoconference, to exchange views on the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East and to address its various implications for ASEAN, including on energy, food security, and safety of ASEAN nationals. The Meeting also sought to follow up on the outcomes of their Specia...
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today attended the 30th ASEAN Finance Ministers’ Meeting (AFMM) via videoconference.Chaired by H.E. Frederick D. Go, Secretary of Finance of the Republic of the Philippines, the ASEAN Finance Ministers discussed the progress of ASEAN Finance Cooperation in the areas of infrastructure financing, insurance...
