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The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8 August1967. The Member States of the Association are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.The ASEAN Secretariat is based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

For inquiries, contact:The ASEAN SecretariatPublic Outreach and Civil Society Division70A Jalan SisingamangarajaJakarta 12110IndonesiaPhone : (62 21) 724-3372, 726-2991Fax : (62 21) 739-8234, 724-3504E-mail : public@asean.org

Catalogue-in-Publication Data

Welcome to ASEAN – A Community of Opportunities! (English version)Jakarta: ASEAN Secretariat, September 2015

352.11591. ASEAN – Community2. Political-Security – Economic – Socio-Cultural

ISBN 978-602-0980-33-1

General information on ASEAN appears online at the ASEAN Website: www.asean.org

The text of this publication may be freely quoted or reprinted, providedproper acknowledgement is given and a copy containing the reprintedmaterial is sent to Public Outreach and Civil Society Division of theASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta

Copyright Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) 2015.All rights reserved

ASEAN Political -ASEAN Political -ASEAN Political -ASEAN Political -ASEAN Political -Security CommunitySecurity CommunitySecurity CommunitySecurity CommunitySecurity CommunityTo build on what has been constructed over the years in the fieldof political and security cooperation, the ASEAN Leaders haveagreed to establish the ASEAN Political-Security Community(APSC). The APSC shall aim to ensure that countries in theregion live at peace with one another and with the world in a just,democratic and harmonious environment.

The members of the Community pledge to rely exclusively onpeaceful processes in the settlement of intra-regionaldifferences and regard their security as fundamentally linked toone another and bound by geographic location, common visionand objectives. It has the following components: politicaldevelopment; shaping and sharing of norms; conflict prevention;conflict resolution; post-conflict peace building; and implementingmechanisms.

The APSC Blueprint envisages ASEAN to be a rules-basedCommunity of shared values and norms; a cohesive, peaceful,stable and resilient region with shared responsibility forcomprehensive security; as well as a dynamic and outward-looking region in an increasingly integrated and interdependentworld.

ASEAN Socio - CulturalASEAN Socio - CulturalASEAN Socio - CulturalASEAN Socio - CulturalASEAN Socio - Cultural

The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community aims to contribute torealising an ASEAN Community that is people-oriented andsocially responsible with a view to achieving enduring solidarityand unity among the peoples and Member States of ASEAN. Itseeks to forge a common identity and build a caring and sharingsociety which is inclusive and where the well-being, livelihood, andwelfare of the peoples are enhanced.

ASCC is focused on nurturing the human, cultural and naturalresources for sustained development in a harmonious andpeople-oriented ASEAN.

The ASCC Blueprint represents the human dimension of ASEANcooperation and upholds ASEAN commitment to address theregion’s aspiration to lift the quality of life of its peoples. Thegoals of the ASCC are envisaged to be achieved byimplementing concrete and productive actions that are people-centred and socially responsible. This set of cooperativeactivities has been developed based on the assumption that thethree pillars of the ASEAN Community are interdependent andinterrelated and that linkages are imperative to ensurecomplementarity and unity of purpose.

ASEAN Economic CommunityASEAN Economic CommunityASEAN Economic CommunityASEAN Economic CommunityASEAN Economic Community

The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) shall be the goal ofregional economic integration by 2015. AEC envisages thefollowing key characteristics: (a) a single market and productionbase, (b) a highly competitive economic region, (c) a region ofequitable economic development, and (d) a region fully integratedinto the global economy.

The AEC areas of cooperation include human resourcesdevelopment and capacity building; recognition of professionalqualifications; closer consultation on macroeconomic andfinancial policies; trade financing measures; enhancedinfrastructure and communications connectivity; development ofelectronic transactions through e-ASEAN; integrating industriesacross the region to promote regional sourcing; and enhancingprivate sector involvement for the building of the AEC. In short,the AEC will transform ASEAN into a region with free movementof goods, services, investment, skilled labour, and freer flow ofcapital.

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(ASEAN)(ASEAN)(ASEAN)(ASEAN)(ASEAN) ASEANASEANASEANASEANASEANCOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, wasestablished on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with thesigning of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) bythe Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia,Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Namon 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, andCambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the tenMember States of ASEAN.

As set out in the ASEAN Declaration, the aims and purposesof ASEAN are:1. To accelerate the economic growth, social progress and

cultural development in the region through jointendeavours in the spirit of equality and partnership inorder to strengthen the foundation for aprosperous and peaceful community ofSoutheast Asian Nations;

2. To promote regional peace andstability through abiding

respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationshipamong countries of the region and adherence to theprinciples of the United Nations Charter;

3. To promote active collaboration and mutual assistanceon 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 trainingand research facilities in the educational, professional,technical and administrative spheres;

5. To collaborate more effectively for the greater utilisationof their agriculture and industries, the expansion of theirtrade, including the study of the problems of internationalcommodity trade, the improvement of theirtransportation and communications facilities and theraising of the living standards of their peoples;

6. To promote Southeast Asian studies; and7. To maintain close and beneficial cooperation

with existing international and regionalorganisations with similar aims and

purposes, and explore all avenues foreven closer cooperation among

themselves.

The ASEAN Vision 2020, adopted by the ASEANLeaders on the 30th Anniversary ofASEAN,agreed on a shared vision of ASEAN as aconcert of Southeast Asian nations, outwardlooking, living in peace, stability and prosperity,bonded together in partnership in dynamicdevelopment and in a community of caringsocieties.

At the 9th ASEAN Summit in 2003,the ASEAN Leaders resolved that an ASEANCommunity shall be established.

At the 12th ASEAN Summit in January 2007, theLeaders affirmed their strong commitment toaccelerate the establishment of an ASEANCommunity by 2015 and signed the CebuDeclaration on the Acceleration of theEstablishment of an ASEAN Community by2015.

The ASEAN Community is comprised of threepillars, namely the ASEAN Political-Securitythe ASEAN Political-Securitythe ASEAN Political-Securitythe ASEAN Political-Securitythe ASEAN Political-SecurityCommunityCommunityCommunityCommunityCommunity, ASEAN Economic Community, ASEAN Economic Community, ASEAN Economic Community, ASEAN Economic Community, ASEAN Economic Communityand ASEAN Socio-Cultural Communityand ASEAN Socio-Cultural Communityand ASEAN Socio-Cultural Communityand ASEAN Socio-Cultural Communityand ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Eachpillar has its own Blueprint, and, together with theInitiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) StrategicFramework and IAI Work Plan Phase II (2009-2015),they form the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community2009-2015.

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